ARAK, SON OF THUNDER

Real Name: Arak Red-Hand Bright-Sky-After-Storm

Class: Demigod

Occupation: Shaman

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: He-No (father), Star-of-Dawn (mother)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: America, Asia, Europe, 8th Century

First Appearance: Warlord #48 (August, 1981)

Powers: Arak was a skilled hunter and combatant, especially with a sword or tomahawk. He possessed innate magical abilities, the full extent of which were unknown.

History: (Arak, Son of Thunder #1, 2) - <late 8th Century> A boy of the Quontauka tribe was the son of He-No, a thunder god, and as a boy a village wise man hinted at his divine nature. At the age of ten his Quontauka tribe were wiped out by an enemy, but the boy set off in a canoe and escaped. After nearly drowning he was saved and taken under the wing of Hermold and a band of lost Vikings who taught him the ways of war. The boy's first weapon was a sword that was a gift from Hermold's friend Erik. The boy pronounced the name Arak, and he claimed the name as his own.

(Arak, Son of Thunder #1) - <eight years later> Arak joined his Viking companions on a raid of Northumbrian Monastery, but after looting the monks Arak stayed his companions from slaughtering the monks. The Vikings knew Arak would never be a true Viking. A year later Arak and the Vikings raided the same monastery, but found it under the control of sorceress Angelica, Princess of White Cathay. Angelica and the monks killed the Viking party, with only Arak and his rival Sigvald spared. Arak pledged himself to Angelica's service, and she told him they would travel to see Carolus Magnus of Frankland. Before they set sail she summoned a sea serpent to kill Sigvald and the remaining monks, but Arak couldn't stay his hand and attacked the serpant. A thunderbolt killed the serpent, making Arak question if he was not truly the sun of He-No. Arak was in time to save only one monk, Brother Phillip. Angelica had gone to Frankland without Arak, but Arak was determined to meet her there.

(Arak, Son of Thunder #2) - Arak shipwrecked on the island of Lord Hessa and Corinna. He was captured by Hessa's Iron Ones, and after revealing that he sought Carolus Magnus Hessa mistook him for a spy and imprisoned him in a dungeon. There he met Carolus' former court wizard Malagigi, who warned him that Corinna was not the beautiful and innocent maid she appeared to be. Corinna freed Arak and convinced him to help her escape from Hessa's magic and the magical binding that kept her on the island. When Arak succeeded he learned Corinna was Hessa's mother and the lover of demon Belial, but she was freed from both their protections and now free to roam the world. Arak slew Hessa in battle, and confronted Belial, who wanted his woman back. Corinna lost her immortal youth when separated from Belial's magic, so she agreed to return to him. With the demon and his lover vanished Malagigi was free, and gave Arak a sword and offered to lead him to Carolus.

(Arak, Son of Thunder #3) - Before Malagigi brought Arak to Carolus' court at Aix-La-Chapelle he had to avenge himself on Baledor, the wizard who handed him over to Lord Hessa as a prisoner. On the way to Baledor they were set upon by bandits, and Arak slew them all except for one man, Perro, who was wounded and begged them to return him to his family and village. Arak and Malagigi complied, but found the villagers were under Baledor's dominion and didn't trust the strangers. Baledor sent his Dark One to the village, but Arak defeated her, and Malagigi recognized her as Valda, one of Carolus' paladins. After undoing the spell that made her serve Baledor they were attacked by the villagers and sent to Baledor. Baledor killed Perro and put a spell on Arak and Valda, then demanded they fight to the death. Arak overcame the spell and mortally wounded Baledor, after which Malagigi finished him off. With Baledor gone the trio rode to Aix-La-Chapelle.

(Arak Annual #1) -

(All-Star Squadron #55) -

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas and Ernie Colon.

Arak received profiles in Who’s Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #1 and The DC Comics Encyclopedia.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please visit The Official DC Comics Site at: http://www.batman.com

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