Mordru | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Adventure Comics #369 (June 1968) |
Created by |
Jim Shooter (writer) Curt Swan (artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Wrynn |
Species | Homo Magi |
Place of origin | Earth |
Team affiliations |
Lords of Chaos Legion of Super-Villains |
Partnerships |
Eclipso Obsidian |
Notable aliases | The Dark Lord, The Dark Nobleman |
Abilities | Practically limitless sorcerous power Immortality |
Mordru (also known as Mordru the Merciless) is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.
Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos and is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard. While he is sometimes depicted as a present-day adversary of the Justice Society of America and the Lord of Order known as Amethyst, Mordru's primary foes are the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future world of the 30th and 31st centuries. He is arguably the team's most powerful enemy.
Mordru first appeared in Adventure Comics #369 (June 1968) and was created by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan.
Mordru begins his existence as Wrynn, one of the twin sons of Lord Topaz and Lady Turquoise. Wrynn becomes entranced by the study of Black magic. When performing a summoning ritual, Wrynn accidentally resurrects a gemstone golem called Flaw, a servant of the Child and one of the Lords of Chaos. Flaw had chosen Wrynn to be the instrument of the Lords of Chaos who wanted to retake Gemworld. They renamed Wrynn, "Mordru" and gave him tremendous magical power. Wrynn kills his twin brother, Donal during a battle with Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. He is banished from the Twelve Kingdoms of Gemworld. Amethyst is not satisfied with this punishment and locks Mordru inside Gemworld by merging him with the planet itself. During his years inside Gemworld, Mordru develops taphephobia (the fear of being buried alive). This thereafter is Mordru's "Achilles' heel".
Chronologically (in DC Universe time), his first battle with costumed superheroes occurs during a meeting between Earth-One's Justice League of America and Earth-Two's Justice Society of America. Mordru (who inhabits the Earth-One universe) magically reaches back through time from the 30th century to the 20th, in order to capture members of the JLA and JSA and bring them to the future so that they can retrieve artifacts that would free the Demons Three and allow him to steal their powers. During the battle, the Justice League and the Justice Society ally with the Legion of Super-Heroes. His plan fails. There is some loss of continuity following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the battle is restored to continuity by the events of Infinite Crisis, where the Justice League and the Justice Society reside on a combined "New Earth".