Kanto (comics)
Kanto | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Mister Miracle #7 (March/April 1972) |
Created by | Jack Kirby (writer-artist) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Iluthin |
Species | New God |
Place of origin | Apokolips |
Team affiliations | Darkseid's Elite |
Abilities |
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Kanto is a supervillain and extraterrestrial assassin published by DC Comics.
Publication history
[edit]Kanto first appeared in Mister Miracle #7 (March/April 1972), and was created by Jack Kirby.[1] His appearance is modeled after Renaissance nobleman Cesare Borgia and actor Errol Flynn.[2]
Fictional character biography
[edit]A former student of Granny Goodness on Apokolips,[3] Iluthin is accused of stealing weaponry from Darkseid's then-master assassin Kanto 13 and is exiled to Renaissance-era Earth. Subsequently, he trains under Italian teachers and falls in love with a woman named Claudia before Kanto 13 kills her. After Darkseid kills Kanto 13, Iluthin returns to Apokolips and assumes the latter's name and job.[4]
In Genesis, Kanto encounters Artemis of Bana-Mighdall, his former student and lover.
In Death of the New Gods, Kanto is killed by Infinity-Man. However, he returns in Final Crisis.[5]
In The New 52 continuity reboot, Kanto is depicted as a former lover of Leonardo da Vinci and teacher of KGBeast.[6][7]
Powers and abilities
[edit]As a member of the New Gods, Kanto is functionally immortal and possesses superhuman physical abilities. He is additionally resistant to psychic powers and is a trained athlete and a fine hand-to-hand combatant. He is renowned as a master of weapons, being equally adept in Apokoliptian and Earth weaponry. Except Darkseid himself, Kanto is unequaled on Apokolips as a cunning strategist in devising methods of hunting and assassinating victims.
In other media
[edit]Television
[edit]- Kanto appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU).
- Introduced in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Tools of the Trade", voiced by Michael York, this version is an associate of Intergang who supplies them with Apokoliptian weaponry.[8] After Intergang's defeat, Kanto returns to Apokolips, taking Bruno Mannheim with him.
- Kanto appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Alive!", voiced by an uncredited Corey Burton. Following Darkseid's death in the preceding DCAU series Justice League, he and Mantis serve as lieutenants for Virman Vundabar in his power struggle with Granny Goodness, which ends after Darkseid's resurrection and return to Apokolips.
- Kanto appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Troy Baker.[8]
Video games
[edit]- Kanto appears in Superman: Shadow of Apokolips, voiced again by Michael York.[8]
- Kanto appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[9]
- Kanto appears as a playable character and boss in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Corey Burton.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 164. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ^ Ro, Ronin. Tales to Astonish: Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and the American Comic Book Revolution (Bloomsbury, 2004)
- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 167. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
- ^ Final Crisis #1
- ^ Mister Miracle (vol. 4) #9 (2018)
- ^ Batman (vol. 3) #56 (2018)
- ^ a b c "Kanto Voices (Superman)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 17, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
- ^ Michael, Jon; Veness, John (November 2, 2018). "Characters - LEGO DC Super-Villains Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Comics characters introduced in 1972
- Characters created by Jack Kirby
- DC Comics aliens
- DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds
- DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability
- DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
- DC Comics deities
- DC Comics demons
- DC Comics LGBTQ supervillains
- Fictional assassins in comics
- Fictional gay men
- Fourth World (comics)
- New Gods of Apokolips