Warp (First Comics)

Warp!, also spelled Warp, was an American science-fiction play created at Chicago, Illinois' Organic Theatre Company in 1971 by co-authors Stuart Gordon and Lenny Kleinfeld, the latter under the pseudonym Bury St. Edmund. The play moved to Broadway for a short run in February 1973. The play and its backstory became the basis for spinoff comic books and other media.

David Carson, an everyday bank teller, learns that he is Lord Cumulus, "avenger of the universe". Suddenly transported from an annual employee-awards dinner to the mystical realm Fen-Ra, he finds himself battling for the destiny of the universe against antagonist Prince Chaos. In this world, he encounters the sage Lugulbanda who sends him on his quest aided by the leather-clad Amazon warrior Sargon. They battle Valaria the insect sorceress and Chaos' henchman, the purple ape Symax.

Chicago's Organic Theater Company opened the original play Warp! in 1971. Co-author Stuart Gordon in 2002 recalled its original inspiration: "It was three full-length plays that were inspired by Marvel Comics. ... Well, we weren't able to get the rights to any of the characters from Marvel, so we created our own. But I would say that Warp was very influenced by comic books like Dr. Strange and Thor". Billed by the company as "the world's first science fiction epic-adventure play in serial form", it was performed for over a year before moving to Broadway.

The Chicago cast included John Heard,André De Shields, Cecil O'Neal, J. Pat Miller, and Bruce A. Young. The costume designer was first-timer Cookie Gluck, a former art major at the University of Wisconsin who was married to actor O'Neal. The lighting designer was David K.H. Elliott.

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