History: (Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #9 (fb)) - Kanto 13 was Darkseid’s most feared assassin. One day Granny Goodness’ student Iluthin turned to thievery, stealing from his fellow students, the Apokoliptian armory, and finally from Kanto 13. He was caught by Sergeant Skragg, and brought before Granny, and even though she promoted treachery, she was ashamed that he’d allowed himself to get caught in the act. She reminded him that only the strong survived on Apokolips, and had him run a gauntlet of his fellow students as punishment. He made it to the end with his extraordinary agility and fighting prowess, injuring his classmates along the way, but Kanto 13 was at the end, and started beating him to a pulp. Darkseid, impressed with Iluthin’s potential, interrupted. He used his omega-beams on him for a total wipeout, and told him that if he survived his destiny would be altered. Kanto guessed the boy survived, teleported instead of disintegrated, and vowed to track him down. He could not stand a potential threat, and a youth that disrespected him to boot, to survive.

(Jack Kirby’s Fourth World #10 (fb), 11 (fb), 13 (fb)) - <1502> Kanto finally located Iluthin, Darkseid had sent him to Italy on Earth. Kanto opened up a Boom Tube to Earth, and prepared to have his revenge. He found Ilthin, now a member of Borgia’s court, on his wedding day to Borgia’s sister Claudia. He crashed the ceremony, but found that he could not defeat Ilthin in combat. He set off a timebomb, and escaped through a Boom Tube. Claudia threw herself on the bomb, sacrificing her life for that of her lover. Iluthin was broken, and no longer cared about his place in court life. On Apokolips Kanto tried to get over his hollow victory by beating Darkseid’s prisoners of war to death. He followed Kanto to Apokolips using a Boom Tube, and engaged him in battle. Kanto soon doubled over in pain, and Iluthin revealed that he’d poisoned his water before he made his presence known. He chided Kanto, telling him that Claudia was the face of innocence, and her death would haunt Iluthin forever. Darkseid appeared, and when Kanto begged for help Darkseid slew him with the omega beams. Darkseid told Iluthin that Borgia taught him well, and he finally realized that their was no honor for an assassin, only success. Darkseid granted him the traditional name of Kanto, making him his new personal assassin, and granted the dead Kanto 13’s fief and fortress to him.

Comments: Created by Walter Simonson.

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