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Chris Kent (character)

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Chris Kent
Chris Kent as Nightwing on the cover of Action Comics #883 (January 2010).
Art by Pere Pérez.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAction Comics #844 (December 2006)
Created byRichard Donner
Geoff Johns
Adam Kubert
In-story information
Full nameChristopher Kent/Lor-Zod
Hernan Guerra
SpeciesKryptonian
Place of originPhantom Zone (place of birth)
Team affiliationsJustice League
Superman Family
PartnershipsFlamebird (Thara Ak-Var)
Supporting character ofSuperman
Young Justice
Notable aliasesNightwing
K'Riss
Superman
Abilities
  • Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes
  • Solar energy absorption
  • Flight
  • Telekinesis
  • Electromagnetic spectrum vision
  • Telescopic vision
  • Microscopic vision
  • Heat vision
  • X-ray vision
  • Infrared vision
  • Freezing breath
  • Super-hearing
  • Invulnerability
  • Longevity
  • Phantom zone immunity
  • Umbrakinesis

Chris Kent (Lor-Zod) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #844 (December 2006) and was created by Richard Donner, Geoff Johns, and Adam Kubert.

As the biological son of General Zod and Ursa, he is a Kryptonian and the foster son of Clark Kent (Superman) and his wife Lois Lane. A different Lor-Zod was reinterpreted as a supervillain in DC Rebirth.

An adaptation of the villainous Lor-Zod appears in the animated series Young Justice, voiced by Phil Morris. Another interpretation of the character appears in the animated film Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Benjamin Bratt.

Publication history

[edit]

He first appeared in Action Comics #844 (December 2006), in the story arc Superman: Last Son, and was created by Richard Donner, Geoff Johns, and Adam Kubert. The character has assumed the role of Nightwing. Following Flashpoint, DC revisited the concept of Zod's heroic son. On Earth-16, he succeeds Clark Kent who’s his biological father on that earth as Superman and is best friends with the new Batman, Damian Wayne.

A new version of Lor-Zod was introduced in 2017 during DC Rebirth in the Action Comics series during the "Revenge" storyline, this time as a villain.[1]

Fictional character biography

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Lor-Zod I

[edit]

"Last Son"

[edit]

Lor-Zod is a Kryptonian and the biological son of Dru-Zod and Ursa who was born in the Phantom Zone. Lor-Zod's parents arrange for him to be sent out of the Phantom Zone in a spacecraft that crash-lands in Metropolis.[2] Unaware of his name or origins, Lor-Zod is adopted by Superman (Clark Kent) and Lois Lane, who name him Christopher Kent.[3][4]

Chris struggles to hide his powers, so Superman and Batman create a wristwatch that uses red sun radiation to block Chris' powers until he can control them.[5] Eventually, the wristwatch fails due to being calibrated on the metabolism of an adult Kryptonian.[6]

Superman holds a press conference to inform the world that Chris is under his care. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor sends Bizarro in an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap Chris. Superman learns that Chris is the son of General Zod and Ursa, who escape from the Phantom Zone alongside Non.[7]

In Action Comics Annual #11, Zod and his army are defeated and Chris pursues them into the Phantom Zone to ensure that the passage between the Phantom Zone and the rest of the universe is closed properly, since it would remain weak for as long as he remained on Earth.[8]

Nightwing

[edit]

While in the Phantom Zone, Chris finds a piece of Brainiac's technology that mentally links him with Thara Ak-Var.[9] When the citizens of Kandor create the artificial planet New Krypton, Chris and Thara resolve to capture escaped Phantom Zone criminals as Nightwing and Flamebird.[10]

Due to his birth in the Phantom Zone, Chris begins aging rapidly while outside it.[11][10] Jax-Ur cures Chris, reverting him to his young adult form, and takes a sample of his DNA.[12]

In the "War of the Supermen" event, Chris is de-aged into a young boy after being transported to the Phantom Zone during a battle with General Zod.[13]

Lor-Zod II

[edit]

In 2016, DC Comics implemented a relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth", which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". A new version of Lor-Zod is introduced who is loyal to his father General Zod.[1] The House of Zod rules over Jekuul, a planet with two yellow suns.[14]

Powers and abilities

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Chris Kent possesses the average abilities of a Kryptonian, including superhuman physical abilities, heat vision, x-ray vision, and ice breath.[3][5][7][15][16] Due to being born in the Phantom Zone, he is resistant to Kryptonite and possesses tactile telekinesis similar to Conner Kent, but rapidly ages outside the Phantom Zone unless he is wearing a special armband created by Jax-Ur.[10][16][17][18]

After fusing with the Nightwing entity, Chris gains the ability to manipulate shadows and teleport via them.

Other versions

[edit]
  • An alternate universe variant of Chris Kent from Earth-16 appears in Countdown: Arena. This version is a physically and spiritually evolved individual with access to vast powers beyond those of regular Kryptonians. While fighting the Supermen of Earth-30 and Earth-31, he sacrifices himself in an attempt to kill Nathaniel Adam / Monarch.[19]
    • An alternate universe variant of Chris Kent from post-New 52 Earth-16 appears in the comic book series Earth 2 and The Multiversity: The Just #1. This version, also known as Val-Zod, is the heroic adopted son of Zod who was adopted by the House of El and later succeeds Kal-El as Superman.
  • An analogue of Chris Kent, Clark Wayne / Knightwing appears in Superman & Batman: Generations. He is the grandson of Superman and son of Joel Kent. After the latter was manipulated into turning against his father by Lex Luthor and subsequently killed, Clark was adopted by Bruce Wayne Jr. and eventually went on to become Knightwing.[20]

In other media

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Television

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  • An original version of Lor-Zod appears in Krypton, portrayed by Emmanuel Ighodaro. This version is a member of the Sagitari squadron and great-grandfather of General Zod.
  • A variant of the second Lor-Zod appears in Young Justice, voiced by Phil Morris.[21] This version was born in the 31st century after the United Planets released his parents, Dru-Zod and Ursa Zod, from the Phantom Zone. While Lor's parents were sent back to the Zone by the Legion of Super-Heroes for attempting a coup, the United Planets pardoned Lor due to his age. Developing a hatred for the Legion after they destroyed the Phantom Zone projector, Lor stole kryptonite and a time sphere to go back to the past and kill Superboy, who inspired the Legion. On Mars, he planted his kryptonite on Ma'alefa'ak's gene bomb, with Phantom Girl transporting Superboy to the Phantom Zone after he is nearly killed while trying to stop it. After allying with Darkseid to gain access to the Phantom Zone projector inside Metron's vault, Lor succeeds in freeing his parents and a brainwashed Superboy and brings them to Earth, only for the Team to restore Superboy's mind and stop the Zods. Lor escapes in his time sphere, unaware that Metron pre-programmed it to bring him to the moment of Superboy's apparent death and be killed by Ma'alefa'ak's bomb.[22][23][24]

Film

[edit]

A son of General Zod appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Benjamin Bratt.[25] This version is the genetically engineered child of Zod and Lara Lor-Van who was rocketed to Earth as a child from Krypton after Zod killed Jor-El, adopted and raised by the Guerra family, a group of Mexican migrant farmers who named him Hernan Guerra. After facing discrimination, Guerra became short-tempered and withdrawn from humanity and developed a deep contempt and resentment for authority. He later becomes his universe's version of Superman and the leader of the Justice League, but faces opposition due to his brutal methods. While foiling Will Magnus's plot to subjugate the world using nanites and learning his father was responsible for Krypton's destruction, Guerra realizes the consequences of his brutality, earns back public favor, and considers using less lethal methods.

Miscellaneous

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The Gods and Monsters incarnation of Superman appears in the Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles episode "Bomb", voiced again by Benjamin Bratt.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b Action Comics #984 (September 2017)
  2. ^ Action Comics #846 (February 2007)
  3. ^ a b Action Comics #844 (December 2006)
  4. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 152–153. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  5. ^ a b Superman #668 (December 2007)
  6. ^ Superman #673 (April 2008)
  7. ^ a b Action Comics #845 (January 2007)
  8. ^ Action Comics Annual #11 (July 2008)
  9. ^ Action Comics Annual #12 (August 2009)
  10. ^ a b c Action Comics #875 (May 2009)
  11. ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (March 24, 2009). "Greg Rucka: Man of "Action"". CBR. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016.
  12. ^ Action Comics #884 (February 2010)
  13. ^ Superman: War of the Supermen #4 (July 2010)
  14. ^ Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #38 (April 2018)
  15. ^ Action Comics #851 (August 2007)
  16. ^ a b Action Comics #876 (June 2009)
  17. ^ Supergirl (vol. 5) #46 (December 2009)
  18. ^ Action Comics #885 (March 2010)
  19. ^ Countdown: Arena #3-4 (February 2008)
  20. ^ Superman & Batman: Generations #3 (March 1999)
  21. ^ "Lor-Zod Voice - Young Justice (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 2, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  22. ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (April 28, 2022). "Young Justice Revealed Its Newest Villain's Sinister Origin - and Apocalyptic Mission". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  23. ^ Tsavelis, George (April 20, 2022). "Young Justice's Latest Villain Is A Callback to Krypton". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  24. ^ Dandeneau, Jim (June 10, 2022). "Young Justice: Phantoms Finale Ending Explained". Den of Geek. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Superman / Lor-Zod Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 2, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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