Sabbac

For uses of similar names, seeSabac.

Sabbacis the name of threeAmerican comic booksupervillainsappearing inDC Comics.The original Sabbac debuted inCaptain Marvel Jr.#4 (February 1943), and was created byOtto Binderand Al Carreno as an enemy of Captain Marvel Jr., while an updated version debuted inOutsiders#8 (March 2004), and was created byJudd WinickandTom Raneyas a nemesis for both Junior and theOutsiderssuperhero team.A third version was introduced inJustice League#10 (August 2012), and was created byGeoff JohnsandGary Frankas an adversary for theShazam Familyand an associate ofBlack Adamand theSeven Deadly Enemies of Man.

Sabbac
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	(Karnes): Captain Marvel Jr.#4 (February 1943) (Gregor): Outsiders#8 (March 2004) (Bryer): Justice League#10 (August 2012)
Created by	(Karnes) Otto Binder Al Carreno (Gregor) Judd Winick Tom Raney (Bryer) Geoff Johns Gary Frank
In-story information
Alter ego	Timothy Karnes Ishmael Gregor Mr. Bryer
Species	(Karnes & Gregor): Half-Demon (Bryer): Demon
Place of origin	Hell
Notable aliases	Timothy Barnes
Abilities	(All): Superhuman strength,stamina, durability, speed, agility, reflexes, and wisdom Flight Acceleratedhealing Pyrokinesis (Karnes & Gregor): Transformation Demonic empowerment Expertise inoccultism (Bryer): Possession Shapeshifting Immortality

Ishmael Gregor appeared in the television seriesArrow,portrayed byDavid Meunier,and theDC Extended UniversefilmBlack Adam,portrayed byMarwan Kenzari.

Fictional character biographies

Timothy Karnes

The original Sabbac is depicted as a "dark opposite" to the Marvels, similar toCaptain Marvel's foeIbac,who draws his powers from four historical villains. The dark forces of Hell gave the humanTimothy Karnes(alternatively spelled asBarnes) the power to become a being with powers to rival Captain Marvel. To access this power, all Karnes has to do is say the magic wordSabbac,and magic black lightning strikes up from the underworld and transforms him into a muscle-bound demon with super-strength, super-speed, flight, fire breath, and the ability to emit fire blasts from the palms of his hands. His powers match those of the Marvels. Like Captain Marvel's magic wordShazam,the word Sabbac is anacronymfor the six beings who empower Sabbac: the demons Satan, Aym, Belial, Beelzebub, Asmodeus and Crateis. He resembles Timothy in green robes but with a more muscular build and fangs in his pronounced overbite. Sabbac was an enemy ofCaptain Marvel Jr.Sabbac appeared in two issues of the Golden AgeCaptain Marvel Jr.comic book (issues #4 and #6, both from 1943), and in two issues each ofWorld's Finest ComicsandAdventure Comicsduring the early 1980s. When he first appears he joins Nazi agents, being promised power over America if he helps them conquer it, and tries to destroy transport lines to isolate eastern and western North America. However, as he continues to battle Jr., the various demons empowering him leave him as things grow increasingly bleak for the villain, removing his powers until Satan leaves him, allowing him to be defeated.

In 2004, Sabbac was introduced intoDC Comicscontinuity inOutsiders#8, written byJudd Winickand illustrated byTom Raney.The story established Timothy Karnes as Freddy Freeman's (Captain Marvel Jr.'s alter-ego) former foster brother. Freddy's parents, David and Rebecca Freeman, had taken Timothy in, but the boy was sent to live with another family when the couple were killed in a car accident. Timothy would find himself shuffled from one abusive foster home to another, and grew to hate and resent Freddy Freeman, who lived a successful and relatively peaceful life with his grandfather.

Sabbac's origin was depicted in the 2005/2006Superman/Shazam! First Thunderminiseries, written by Winick and drawn byJoshua Middleton.Dr. Sivana,hoping to find a way to kill Captain Marvel, has the high priest of the Temple of Bagdan kidnap Timothy, whom they learn is a descendant of the Bagdan line and the heir to the demonic powers of Sabbac. During a demonic ritual, Timothy is transformed for the first time into the demon Sabbac and challenges Superman and Captain Marvel. Marvel defeats Sabbac after tricking him into saying his name (and thus causing him to turn back into Timothy).

Ishmael Gregor

InOutsiders#8–10, Captain Marvel Jr. and the Outsiders team face a new, more feral version of Sabbac. This version of Sabbac, possessing amplified demonic powers and a hairy beast-like appearance with horns instead of the more humanoid original form, is the alter ego ofIshmael Gregor,aRussianimmigrant who had become aNew York Citymob Boss. Gregor lusted after the power of Sabbac and had his men find Timothy Karnes, who had been incarcerated and had his voice box removed to prevent him from speaking. Gregor initiates a demonic ritual which he states will allow Karnes to access his power without needing to speak. The ritual involves the murder of an entire New York bus full of passengers. At the end, Gregor kills Karnes and gains the power of Sabbac for himself.

The second Sabbac opens a portal in the backyard of a very specific California home. This brings a host of demons into the world. He is challenged by the Outsiders and Captain Marvel Jr. and flees when his demons are defeated.

TheSecret Society of Super-Villainssends Deathstroke the Terminator to Las Vegas, where Sabbac is taking over the local Mafia. Deathstroke kills Sabbac's personal entourage and convinces him that the Society has much to offer.

Sabbac also works with theFearsome Fiveto attack Alcatraz in San Francisco, now a supervillain prison.They are there for the seemingly minor purpose of freeing the FF memberMammoth.During the attack, the magical Rock of Eternity explodes overGotham City.Sabbac's preparations allow him to absorb the sentient power of theSeven Deadly Enemies of Man.He also grows much larger. He uses 'Lust' to bring down the Five, the Alcatraz prisoners, and a majority of the guards. He uses the other sins in combat against the Outsiders.Donna Troyappears and the heroes use Katana's magic Soultaker sword to imprison the demon.From inside the Soultaker, Sabbac admits that the Society had enlisted him to kidnap Captain Marvel Jr. and bring him toLex Luthor.

One Year Later

When the Outsiders were out of options, Katana summoned forth Ishmael from the Soultaker to destroy Dr. Sivana's base.

52

In the52maxiseries, Captain Marvel, on the brink of insanity due to the Sins' voices, mentioned that Sabbac had tried an assault on the Rock of Eternity.Later in the series, Sabbac attacked Boston onHalloween,with the intention of kidnapping children and sacrificing their souls to the demon-lordNeron,causing a new age of blood. Sabbac was now several stories tall, and was only stopped through the efforts of both theMarvel Familyand theBlack Marvel Family,who strike him with their lightning and knock him out. The Black Marvels then move him to an unknown location, and their popularity was increased.

Mr. Bryer

After DC's 2011The New 52,a new version of Sabbac was introduced. This version of Sabbac was a physical manifestation of the Seven Deadly Sins of Man, who can simultaneously possess a wicked person (in this case, Mr. Bryer, a rich man who bullies Billy Batson along with his sons) and transform that person into a 50-foot demon that breathes fire. Sabbac then attacked downtown Philadelphia under the command ofBlack Adam,who was intent on having the demon destroy the world so Adam could remake it in his own image.The Shazam Family united to save the city from Sabbac as Shazam himself took on Black Adam.Bryer is then sent to the hospital after Sabbac leaves his body.

Powers and abilities

All versions of Sabbac have immense strength, stamina, durability, speed, agility, reflexes, healing, andwisdom,as well as hypersonic flight. Both Karnes and Gregor are able to project fire from their mouths or hands. This is accomplished by sayingSabbac,which would undo the change.The Bryer version of Sabbac can possess human bodies,potentiallylive forever, and take on any appearance at will or castillusionsthat makes him look like another person.

S	Invincible Strength ofSatan	Sabbac has superhuman strength.
A	Indestructible Body ofAym	Sabbac has invulnerability.
B	Evil Wisdom ofBelial	Sabbac has immense access to knowledge.
B	Flame Powers ofBeelzebub	Sabbac has control over fire being able to unleash a fire-breath and shoot fire blasts.
A	Evil Courage ofAsmodeus	Sabbac has immense willpower and superhuman endurance.
C	Flight ofCrataeis	Sabbac has flight and superhuman speed.

In other media

• Ishmael Gregorappears in flashbacks depicted in thefifth seasonofArrow,portrayed byDavid Meunier.This version is the human Pakhan, or Boss, of theSolntsevskayabranch of theBratvawho secretly works forKonstantin Kovar.AfterOliver Queenreveals Gregor's true allegiance and causes a civil war within the Bratva's ranks, Gregor is killed and replaced byAnatoly Knyazev.
• The Ishmael Gregor incarnation of Sabbac appears inBlack Adam,portrayed byMarwan Kenzari.This version is the leader ofIntergang'sKahndaqbranch and a descendant of the Kahndaq tyrant King Ahk-Ton (also portrayed by Kenzari) who seeks the Crown of Sabbac, which his ancestor failed to claim due toTeth-Adam.After being killed by Teth-Adam in the present, Gregor's spirit reaches the Rock of Finality, where he is empowered bySatan,Aym,Belial,Beelzebub,Asmodeus,and Crateris to serve as their champion. Nevertheless, Teth-Adam kills Gregor once more with theJustice Society of America's help.

External links

• Sabbacat Comic Vine