The Last Days of Krypton - Kevin J. Anderson [2]
Kevin was given a task as daunting as any of Superman’s legendary deeds. He had to put together a history of a world that over the past sixty-eight years has had countless conflicting stories created for it. Did Krypton die of an earthquake? Or did a comet hit it? Or maybe the sun went nova and destroyed it in its burning wake? What were Krypton’s people like? Were they benevolent, self-indulgent, emotionless, or loving? And what about Brainiac…what about Argo City…what about…what about…?
These are questions that have been asked and answered by millions of fans many, many times.
But now it is time for a new story that brings those diverse histories together, yet forges its own path. We all know Krypton’s outcome, but Kevin gives us a new, thrilling tale unlike any we’ve seen before. It is both familiar and surprising.
Re-creating a rich, real, complex history out of such convoluted lack of continuity is an undertaking I would never have wanted to do. But Kevin did and succeeded, and he has now given us a history of a world most of us grew up knowing and caring for. And somehow, with that same flash of inspiration Siegel and Shuster showed when they created Superman all those years ago, he has put it all together in an extremely fast-paced book that has something for every fan of Superman, no matter which era they love, which Krypton they grew up with, which Superman they idolize.
—Marv Wolfman, author of Crisis on Infinite Earths,
writer/creator of New Teen Titans and Blade the Vampire Hunter
CAST OF CHARACTERS
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
JOR-EL—Krypton’s most revered scientist
ZOR-EL—Jor-El’s brother, an accomplished scientist in his own right and leader of Argo City
ALURA—Zor-El’s wife, an expert in botany
YAR-EL—father of Jor-El and Zor-El, a genius who now suffers from the Forgetting Disease
CHARYS—mother of Jor-El and Zor-El, a researcher in psychology
FRO-DA—Jor-El’s head chef at his estate
LOR-VAN—a well-respected artist and muralist
ORA—Lor-Van’s wife
LARA—Lor-Van’s daughter, also an accomplished artist as well as a historian and aspiring writer
KI-VAN—Lor-Van’s young son
DRU-ZOD—head of the Commission for Technology Acceptance in Kandor
COR-ZOD—Dru-Zod’s father, former head of the Kryptonian Council and legendary politician
NAM-EK—Dru-Zod’s ward, a burly mute
BEL-EK—Nam-Ek’s murderous father, killed by Kryptonian Sapphire Guards
AETHYR-KA—an independent woman cut off from her noble family, a former classmate of Lara’s
BUR-AL—fourth-level assistant in the Commission for Technology Acceptance
VOR-ON—young man from a minor noble family
HOPK-INS—minor worker in the Commission for Technology Acceptance
GUR-VA—an insane criminal known as the Butcher of Kandor
SHOR-EM—the leader of Borga City
DONODON—alien visitor to Krypton
KIRANA-TU—dry and humorless female doctor
THE KRYPTONIAN COUNCIL
JUL-US (Council Head)
AL-AN
MAURO-JI
BARY-ON
CERA-SI
SOR-AY
POL-EV
RUL-AR
KOR-TE
JUN-DO
SILBER-ZA
ANCIENT HISTORICAL FIGURES
JAX-UR—ancient warlord, generally considered Krypton’s most terrible tyrant
LOTH-UR—cruel father of Jax-Ur
SOR-EL—ancestor of Jor-El, one of the leaders of the Seven Armies
KOL-AR—one of the leaders of the Seven Armies
POL-US—one of the leaders of the Seven Armies
NOK—ancient chieftain
KAL-IK—adviser to Nok, who sacrificed his life to speak the truth
HUR-OM—legendary star-crossed lover depicted in a Kandor opera tapestry
FRA-JO—legendary star-crossed lover depicted in a Kandor opera tapestry
DISSIDENTS
GIL-EX—leader of Orvai in the lake district
TYR-US—leader of the metal city of Corril in the mountains
GAL-ETH—vice mayor of Orvai
OR-OM—industrialist in a mining town
KORTH-OR—refugee from Borga City
ZOD’S RING OF STRENGTH
KOLL-EM—younger brother of Shor-Em, head of the Ring of Strength
NO-TON—a nobleman and scientist
MON-RA
POEL-OR
RAN-AR