Larfleeze, also known as Agent Orange, is a supervillain appearing in comics published by DC Comics, usually as an antagonist in books featuring Green Lantern and the Green Lantern Corps. He is the primary wielder of the orange light of avarice, derived from the emotional spectrum of greed, and does not voluntarily allow others to wield it.
| Larfleeze | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Larfleeze as depicted in Green Lantern vol. 4 #39 (April 2009). Art by Oclair Albert. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Publisher | DC Comics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | Green Lantern vol. 4 #25 (January 2008) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Geoff Johns (writer) Ethan Van Sciver (artist) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| In-story information | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Alter ego | Agent Orange | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | Ogatoo | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Team affiliations | Orange Lantern Corps | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Abilities | Orange Power Ring
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The character first appeared in DC Universe #0 (April 2008), and was created by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver.[1]
Publication history
Writer Geoff Johns developed Larfleeze as a key participant in the "Blackest Night" storyline, explaining at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009 that he came up with the name "Larfleeze" by combining the words "lard" and "sleaze". Johns also revealed that the Claim Jumper restaurant chain was his inspiration behind writing about greed.[2] Johns states that Larfleeze is one of his favorite characters to write because of how "out of touch" the character is, adding that, other than greed, emotions have no value to him because they do not provide him with anything material.[3] After his brief first appearance in DC Universe #0 (April 2008), the character went on to be shown in smaller teaser appearances within the Green Lantern series until his first extended appearance in Green Lantern #39 (April 2009). The issue leads into "Agent Orange" (named after the codename Larfleeze is given by the Guardians of the Universe), the storyline detailing the character's origin that also serves as a prelude to the "Blackest Night" storyline. Larfleeze's story includes an appearance in Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #2 (July 2009). In the story Tales of the Orange Lanterns: Blume Godhead, he is shown "recruiting" one of his most recognizable Orange Lanterns.[4]
Larfleeze received a back-up in Threshold, written by Keith Giffen, with art by Scott Kolins. The back-up ran from Threshold #1 (March 2013) to #5 (July 2013).[5] The plot focused on the apparent theft of Larfleeze's power battery, and his attempt to retrieve it. The back-up spins off into a self-titled ongoing series, Larfleeze. Keith Giffen and Scott Kolins continued as the creative team, with J. M. DeMatteis introduced as co-writer.[6] In March 2014, DC announced that the Larfleeze series would end with issue 12.[7]
Fictional character biography
Origin
Larfleeze (also known as Agent Orange to those who wield power from the emotional spectrum) is the first and for a long time the only individual to wield the power of the orange light. Little is known about his past except that he comes from an incredibly long-lived species, as Larfleeze is said to be over several billion years old. He was taken from his parents for reasons yet to be revealed and forced to work as a slave. This deeply affected Larfleeze, who at some point began to "hear" the material possessions in the society of the people whom he served begging him to own them. Some time much later, Larfleeze escaped and became a wanted criminal, along with several of his species.
Later, Larfleeze discovered the Orange Lantern power battery on the planet Okaara and become its sole wielder.[8]
Agent Orange
In Green Lantern vol. 4, issue #28 (April 2009), the Controllers seek to obtain the Orange Lantern battery, but are killed by Larfleeze and his Lantern army.[9][10] Blume captures and seriously damages Stel, branding him with the symbol of the Orange Lantern Corps. When the Green Lanterns recover Stel, a construct of Larfleeze emerges from the brand and confronts the Guardians. Although the Guardians point out that the Controllers are the source of his anger, Larfleeze refuses to listen. He declares his previous treaty with the Guardians is null and void, and that the Guardians will submit to his demands or face his wrath. In response, the Guardian Scar destroys the projection and states that the Guardians do not negotiate with terrorists.[10]
This conflict marks the beginning of Green Lantern's next phase in its prelude to the "Blackest Night" crossover, titled: "Agent Orange". The story goes on to show the Guardians adding a fourth law to the Book of Oa: the Vega system is no longer outside of Green Lantern jurisdiction. This allows the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps to attack Vega.[11] During the battle, Hal Jordan obtains the Orange Lantern battery and is briefly possessed by its power.[12] Larfleeze is temporarily subdued by Jordan's blue power ring and becomes obsessed with obtaining its power.[13][14]
Blackest Night
In Blackest Night, Larfleeze is attacked by black power rings that reanimate the bodies of those whose identities he stole to create his constructs.[15][16] He is saved by Saint Walker, Hal Jordan, Carol Ferris, Indigo-1, and Sinestro, who recruit him and Atrocitus to battle the Black Lanterns.[17] During the battle with the Black Lanterns, Ganthet duplicates Larfleeze's ring, which Lex Luthor temporarily wields.[18][19][20]
Brightest Day
In Brightest Day, Hector Hammond obtains the Orange Lantern battery and is possessed by the greed entity Ophidian.[21]
War of the Green Lanterns
Larfleeze is among the New Guardians who Krona traps in the Book of the Black before Kyle Rayner frees them.[22][23][24][25]
The New 52
In The New 52 continuity reboot, Kyle Rayner obtains rings of the other Lantern Corps, including an orange power ring. He trains in using all the rings to defeat the Third Army and visits Larfleeze for assistance.[11][26]
Powers and abilities
Larfleeze exclusively wields the orange light of avarice, through using his orange power ring and power battery. Some of his basic abilities are shared with other Corps: flight, aura projection, and the ability to create constructs made from light. He can absorb mystical energy and steal the identities of those he kills, creating orange apparitions of them. Conversely, it is depicted as being unable to absorb blue or violet light constructs.[8][11][27]
Larfleeze's power is amplified by being in constant contact with his power battery, enabling him to maintain an entire corps of constructs even when separated from it.[12] His control over his ring is so great that he was the only being able to retain control of his ring when a mysterious external force turned Kyle Rayner into a 'ring magnet' that caused one ring from each Corps to abandon their wielders and travel to him.[28] However, Larfleeze is burdened with insatiable hunger as a side-effect of wielding the orange light (which can be nullified while in the presence of a Blue Lantern).[8]
Based on Larfleeze's reaction to it after it was removed, the Orange ring is classified as one of the two parasitic type rings (the other is the Indigo Ring), which alters its wielder to match its own alignment rather than choosing users who embody its emotion.[25] Unlike the Indigo ring, it appears to need someone who is already somewhat greedy; it then amplifies this to a huge degree, as shown in Larfleeze origin where he kills two of his fellow thieves to gain control of the ring.[8]
Orange Lantern Corps
The Orange Lantern Corps is a supervillain organization published by DC Comics.[29][30] They first appeared in Green Lantern (vol. 4) #25 and were created by Geoff Johns and Philip Tan.
The Orange Lantern Corps is a faction of the Emotional Spectrum that is associated with greed. Due to the nature of its power, the Orange Light can only have one wielder, with all other members being light constructs.[4][9][31][32][33][34][35]
Membership
Leadership
- Larfleeze (of Sector 2828): As Larfleeze is too greedy to share his rings,[36][37] except for one given to Lex Luthor at Ganthet's insistence during "Blackest Night", he uses his ring's ability to create constructs in order to field an entire army of Orange Lanterns to face his foes for him.[11] His connection to his power battery allows him to maintain the constructs indefinitely, so long as he devotes attention to doing so. In one case, after reclaiming his power battery from Hal Jordan, Larfleeze withdraws the Orange Lantern Corps into his battery and uses the combined power to create a gigantic avatar of himself in order to attack the Green Lantern Corps.[12] He later sends a life-sized avatar of himself to lead the attack against the Blue Lanterns on Odym.[14] Kyle Rayner learns that the constructs apparently retain their original personalities,[38] and it has since been confirmed that Larfleeze literally takes the souls of his Orange Lanterns when he claims them, as a highly spiritual race could not be claimed by Larfleeze as their souls passed on too quickly for him to absorb them. Larfleeze has since been removed from his ring when a New God stole it from him.
Known members
- Blume (of Sector 2751): A giant extraterrestrial head from the planet Blobba that proclaims himself a god of hunger so that he can intimidate the inhabitants of planets into feeding him their valuables. After failing to do the same to Larfleeze, he is made into an Orange Lantern construct and now patrols the Vega system.[4][10][15]
- Clypta (of Sector 2829): An Orange Lantern from the Thieves' System that is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps during the "Blackest Night" storyline.[15]
- The Controllers: The Controllers arrive on Okaara searching for the orange light to create their own Corps.[9] However, Larfleeze kills and assimilates them.[10][11]
- Glomulus (of Sector 2826): A ravenous tavern cleaner on Okaara who is consumed by Blume and transformed into an Orange Lantern.[11] Unlike the other Orange Lanterns, he maintains aspects of his original identity.[27][38]
- Gretti (former Green Lantern of Sector 2828): A former Green Lantern who Larfleeze kills and assimilates during the Green Lanterns' attack on Okaara.[11] During the "Blackest Night" storyline, he is temporarily resurrected as a Black Lantern.[15]
- Guardian of the Universe: While Larfleeze's thieves guild and the Guardians fought for the orange power battery, the power of the orange light is unleashed, killing one of the Guardians in the process. He is shown as being turned into an Orange Lantern construct.[8] In Green Lantern (vol. 4) #45, a male Guardian is shown being reanimated as a Black Lantern on Okaara.[15] However, Sayd has recently stated that Larfleeze cannot convert Guardians into Orange Lanterns, suggesting that the Guardian was a more basic construct rather than the Guardian's actual spirit.[27][39]
- Nat-Nat (of Sector 228): An Orange Lantern from the planet Limey Rock that is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps during the "Blackest Night" storyline.[15]
- Sound Dancer (of Sector 911): An Orange Lantern from the Obsidian Deeps that is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps during the "Blackest Night" storyline.[15] The Obsidian Deeps make up the lightless sector that Green Lantern (F Sharp Bell) Rot Lop Fan is from.[40]
- Tammal-Tayn (of Sector 2813): An Orange Lantern from the planet Fylip that is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps during the "Blackest Night" storyline.[15]
- Turpa: A member of the same guild of thieves as Larfleeze from the planet Ogatoo. Together, the guild steals the Guardians' map to the Orange Power Battery, and upon finding it are so overcome with greed that they fight one another for it. Turpa is killed by the power of the orange light before Larfleeze and Blooch fight to the death for the orange power battery. He is shown as having been turned into an orange light construct.[8]
- Warp Wrap (of Sector 2): An Orange Lantern from the planet Cairo that is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps during the "Blackest Night" storyline.[15]
Former members
- Hal Jordan (of Sector 2814): A Green Lantern officer who temporarily becomes an Orange Lantern after obtaining the Orange power battery.[12]
- Lex Luthor (of Sector 2814): During the "Blackest Night" storyline, Lex Luthor is granted membership to the Orange Lantern Corps for a period of 24 hours, becoming the only other living member of the Corps besides Larfleeze himself and Cade who started out living and ended living.[18] In the final issue of Blackest Night, Luthor's power ring and Orange Lantern abilities fade away.[20]
- Hector Hammond (of Sector 2814): A long time enemy of Hal Jordan who is possessed by Ophidian after obtaining the Orange Lantern power battery.[41][42]
- Krona (of Sector 0): During the War of the Green Lanterns, Krona was briefly able to take control of Larfleeze's ring and the other six rings, using them against the Green Lantern Corps, but the ring returned to its master after Hal Jordan killed Krona.[25]
- Kyle Rayner (of Sector 2814): In the early storylines of The New 52, Kyle has apparently become a 'magnet' for other Corps rings, including an Orange Lantern ring, which was later revealed to be Glomulus, set by Larfleeze to discover more about the rings thief and trick the other Corps into doing his work for him;[43] he was briefly in command of rings from all seven Corps, but he was only able to tap into their power briefly before the strain of doing so exhausted him.[28] He has since learned how to wield the power of all seven spectrums individually- mastering Avarice by getting past Larfleeze in a fight and recharging his ring from Larfleeze's battery- altering his appearance to match each, and elevating himself to White Lantern status once he mastered them all.
Entity
Ophidian is a snake-like entity and the embodiment of greed who serves as the power source for the Orange Lanterns.[44] It later sacrifices itself by traveling into the Source to restore the emotional spectrum.[45]
The Book of Greed
Mainly referred to as "The Book", it is a large tome created by the user of the orange light, in this case Larfleeze, sometime after the War of The Green Lanterns, just because Larfleeze's Avarice led him to desire a tome similar to the Book of Oa that was owned by the Guardians of the Universe. The tome should contain the exploits of the Orange Lanterns and Larfleeze even kidnapped a green-skinned alien by the name of Stargrave to be his chronicler; however, because he is completely consumed by greed, the book is almost blank. This is because knowledge is something Larfleeze jealously guarded as a possession. Larfleeze’s possessiveness is the reason why he did not reveal many secrets within the book, despite the directions to the scribe.[46]
Other versions
- A past incarnation of the Orange Lantern Corps known as the Lightsmiths appear in Green Lantern (vol. 5) #23.1.[47]
- Larfleeze appears in Star Trek/Green Lantern: The Spectrum War.[48][49][50]
- In the universe prior to the current one, groups managed to tap into the wellspring of power created by the Emotional Spectrum by using enormous converters and channeling that power into staffs in the same way today's corps use rings. In this universe those who tapped into the orange light were known as the Lightsmiths of the Orange Light of Gluttony. In an event that the Lightsmiths referred to as the Dimming, Axylund, the home planet of the blue Lightsmiths, faced the crisis of an obsolete light converter, cutting off azure energy to the Lightsmiths. Shortly after, the converters for the remaining Lightsmiths darkened as well until finally the universe died in an explosion of color, leaving only Relic to survive and 'warn' the next universe of its impending doom.[51]
In other media
Television
Larfleeze appears in a self-titled episode of Green Lantern: The Animated Series, voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.[52]
Video games
- Larfleeze and the Orange Lantern Corps appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Robert S. Fisher.
- Larfleeze appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[53]
- Larfleeze appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced again by Dee Bradley Baker.[54]
- Larfleeze appears as a playable character in DC Unchained.
- Larfleeze appears as a playable character in DC Legends.
Merchandise
- Larfleeze received a figure in the DC Comics Super Hero Collection's "Blackest Night" sub-line.
- Larfleeze received a figure in Mattel's DC Universe Signature Series.
References
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