MANTISMANTIS
Real Name: Mantis
Class: God (New Gods)
Occupation: Warrior
Group Affiliation: Darkseid's Elite
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Apokolips
First Appearance: Forever People I #2 (April-May, 1971)
Powers: Mantis possessed superhuman strength and the power of flight. He could absorb virtually any form of energy and then turn it against a opponent Mantis could generate energy blasts, extreme heat or cold, or small amounts of anti-matter from his hands, as well as charge any inanimate object with explosive energy simply by touching it. He could generate cosmic energy by sleeping in one of his power pods.History: (Forever People I #2, New Gods I #2) - Mantis, a creature related to the bugs of New Genesis, had his powers augmented by Darkseid, and thereafter served as his loyal agent. Mantis came to Earth in hopes on conquering the planet, and put himself in a power-pod deep underground to recharge his powers. Darkseid came to Earth, woke Mantis before he achieved full power, and accused him of challenging Darkseid's rule. Darkseid wanted to find the anti-life equation on Earth, but had little interest in conquest, calling Mantis' desire puerile. He told Mantis to make up for his unauthorized trip to Earth by causing chaos in the city. Mantis wrecked havoc, and Darkseid hoped this would draw out a unique mind capable of comprehending the equation. Mantis demanded the people of Earth surrender to him, but the Infinity Man did battle with Mantis, draining his power with the infini-beam and forcing him to return to his power-pod.
(New Gods I #9,
10) - Mantis aided a Bug colony led by Queen-Widow and Prime One in destroying a
rival armored killer species. He
told the Bugs they could have power like his if they joined Darkseid, and they
could strike against the New Gods of New Genesis that had persecuted them. The
Queen-Widow was convinced, and sacrificed the Prime One to make Mantis the new
kind. Before he died the Prime One revealed to his protégé Forager that he was
a new God, and that he must seek Orion’s help, because Mantis would make the
Bugs servants, not set them free from persecution. Mantis and his forces had a
skirmish with Forager, but he eluded them and used a Boom Tube to reach Earth.
Mantis and his Bug horde invaded Earth, and he promised them they’d rule parts
of the planet if they claimed it for Darkseid. Forager had contacted Orion and
Lightray on Earth, and they stemmed the Bug tide. Lightray convinced Sonic
Research and Development to lend him a transmitter, which he used to focus sound
and light to drive off the Bugs, and send them scurrying back to New Genesis.
(New
Gods III #2, 3) - Mantis and his troupe of bugs overran a U.S. Air Force base
and overrode the missile commands, preparing to destroy humanity. Darkseid
wanted to eliminate certain obstacles before unleashing his anti-life crystal,
so he summoned Mantis, Desaad, Cyborg-87 and Iota, and gave them missions.
(New Gods III #4, 5) - Mantis built an insect colony around a nuclear missile silo in Tulsis, Nevada, planning to bombard Earth with a nuclear attack. Orion and Forager invaded the colony, slaughtering Mantis’ horde of bugs, but their efforts to stop Mantis from firing off six nuclear missiles failed. Mantis seemingly killed Forager and in his rage at losing a woman he felt connected too Orion killed Mantis, splattering him with the astro-force. With Lightray’s help he caught up to the missiles and opened a Boom Tube to the insect colonies of New Genesis, destroying their civilization. Orion felt no joy, but thought the Bugs deserved what they got.
Comments: Created by Jack Kirby
Mantis received a profile in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #14. Mantis received a profile in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #16 under the New Gods entry.
Mantis’
appearances in New Gods I #2, 9, 10 were reprinted in New Gods II #1, 5.
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