BIPHASIA
Type: Alien World
Environment: Earth-like, but divided into light (Searland) and dark (Shadow-Realm) halves, which had two suns and two moons, respectively. The balance between the two realms must be sustained at all times, usually by the actions (or inactions) of the Half-Queen. There is a sharp distinction between the realms. At the division sits a mountain, with a seven mile ark, the Ark of Onom-Kra, sticking through it. The Half-Queen's throne and palace lie within the Ark. Time moves differently in Biphasia, and several hours in that realm might occur within a fraction of a second on Earth.
Usual means of access: Magic. A portal to Biphasia exists in a cavern on Earth, possibly outside of Los Angeles, California. This cavern was shunned by the Native Americans who lived in that region in centuries past, and was claimed to be one of the most potent occult nexuses on the continent.
Dominant Life Form: Humanoids; others include the Lustrum and the Shadow Sharks
Natives: Half-Queen (Delandra); Searland (Glissem, Savant), Shadow-Realm (Grithstane, Paingloss, Sardanus, and his Darkpawns); the Half-Queen's menagerie and Joaquin Zairre were brought to Biphasia from other realms.
First Appearance: Giant-Size Werewolf by Night#5 (July, 1975)
History: (Giant-Size Werewolf by Night#5 (fb)) - Biphasia formerly stood in a complete state of balance with Glissem ruling Searland, Sardanus ruling Shadow-Realm, and the Half-Queen, Delandra, sitting mute and motionless upon her throne, at the junction of the two realms. Sardanus sent his warlord, Paingloss into Searland in an effort to conquer it. Paingloss battled and slew Glissem, and in order to maintain the balance, Delandra was forced to become the new ruler of Searland. Delandra should have taken up the battle and slain the weary Paingloss, but instead she fell in love with him, and nursed him back to health. However, she was also almost immediately overcome by guilt for failing in her intended role, and she became distant and somewhat maddened. She focused her attention on gathering a menagerie of hybrid and mythical creatures.
(Giant-Size Werewolf by Night#5)-Paingloss had Grithstane gather a new creature for Delandra's menagerie. Grithstane used his magic to reach through the portal to Earth to claim the Werewolf (who had been brought to the vicintity of the portal by Joaquin Zairre). Grithstane attempted to control the Werewolf so Paingloss could bring him into Searland to present him to the Half-Queen. However, upon entering Searland, the Werewolf returned to his human, Jack Russell, form, which was of no interest to Delandra.
Grithstane cast a spell over Russell to cause him to remain loyal to Paingloss even in werewolf form. They returned to Shadow-Realm to fight off the attack of Sardanus. Paingloss toppled Sardanus, causing his outer armor to shatter, and revealing a small, light-hued man within, whom the Werewolf then slaughtered. With neither a ruler in Searland or Shadow-Realm, Delandra was once again forced to take her seat at the throne between the realms to maintain the balance. Grithstane returned the Werewolf to Earth, almost at the same time Zairre was knocked into the portal to Biphasia.
Clarifications: The Shadow-Realm of Biphasia has no KNOWN connections to:
Shadow Realm, the home of Warlord Kaa, Mister E, the Soul Masters, the Screamers, and other shadow creatures, first actually seen in Marvel Spotlight II#4.
Delandra's menagerie has no known connection to:
The menagerie of the Technomancers, a collection of extra-dimensional creatures, @ Sensational Spider-Man II#32
The Menagerie of Myth, creations of Dr. Zeus, in the form of mythological creatures, @ Marvel Team-Up II#2.
The Menagerie of Rimthusar, Asgardian animal-human hybrid warriors, @ Thor I#320.
Savant has no known connection to:
Savant, of Earth-691 an agent of Ubiquitor, @ Galactic Guardians#2
Comments: Created by Doug Moench and Yong Montaņo.
I didn't see any explanation for the Ark of Omon-Kra.
There's got to be something more to the fate of Biphasia, especially with the satanist Zairre within it. A sequel is needed.
Grithstane was originally the names of a character from "Parchments of the Damned," the first novel which Moench wrote - which was sold, but unpublished. Since the novel never reached the public, Moench kept using the names throghout his career.
Moench also reused the title "Parchments of the Damned" for a multi-part story in Dracula Lives#12, concerning the theft of Dracula's diary by the thief Durenyi.
Glissem ruled Searland for many eons. He was killed in battle
with Paingloss. He was a giant, and presumably possessed
superhuman strength and durability, if not other powers. However,
he had little fighting ability, as he spent most of his time
sitting on the throne.
Grithstane is a sorcerer, originally loyal to Sardanus, but he turned against him to fight alongside Paingloss. He brought the Werewolf to Biphasia and returned him to Earth at the end of the battle. He managed to control the Werewolf, preventing him from attacking Paingloss and himself. He created the Night-Streaker, a craft which carried Paingloss and the Werewolf from the depths of Shadow-Realm to the edge of Searland. His magics get weaker with distance.
The Half-Queen, Delandra, is necessary to control the balance of
Biphasia. When each realm had a ruler, or if neither realm had a
ruler, she sat inert on the throne at the junction of the realms.
If only one side had a ruler, she was forced to become the ruler
of the other realm. She was quite mad, perhaps from the long
periods of inactivity she was forced to endure, or from the
weight of her obligations. She fell in love with Paingloss, but
soon drifted off to an obsession to collecting a menagerie of
extra-dimensional creatures. It is not known if she had any
offensive powers.
The Lustrums are an army of giant white snails ridden by small,
pudgy guys (who don't move). They are used as guards and agents
of the Half-Queen. They captured Paingloss and Jack Russell when
they entered Searland, and brought them to the palace of
Delandra. The Lustrums have thirty foot long, white prehensile
tongues , which can lift and bind even those with superhuman
strength. The tongues secrete a toxin which weakens those it
binds. (Shouldn't they be the Lustra?)
The Half-Queen's menagerie was a collection of hybrid animal-people, like those out of mythology, collected from a variety of extra-dimensional locations. Her menagerie was released when the Darkpawn of Sardanus invaded her realm. Most of them fled into Shadow-Realm.
Paingloss is
a mighty warrior of Shadow-Realm. He formerly served under
Sardanus, and under his lead he entered Searland, and slew its
ruler, Glissem. He was sorely wounded in the battle and would
have been an easy victim to the Half-Queen, had she attacked him
as expected. Instead, she nursed him back to health and the two
fell in love. Delandra rapidly degenerated into madness, but
Paingloss maintained his love and devotion to her, helping her to
build the menagerie with which she had become obsessed. Due to
his love for Delandra, he turned against Sardanus, and fought off
his attempted invasion of Searland. He destroyed Sardanus' false,
robotic form, allowing the Werewolf to kill the man within.
However, he waxed poetic as he realized that he would once again
lose Delandra to the throne of balance. Paingloss was a powerful
warrior, possessing excellent fighting skills and at least
enhanced human strength. His greatest weapon was his truncheon,
or Spark-Stick, which fired an energy blast which seemed to
incapacitate anything it struck. It could also be used as a blunt
weapon.
Sardanus was the ruler of Shadow-Realm. He sought to take over
the entire realm of Biphasia, and then to invade Earth. However,
he was defeated and killed in battle with Paingloss and the
Werewolf. He used a large, black robotic form to appear monstrous
and powerful, but was a normal man within it.
The robot form possessed
great strength and durability, but couldn't stand up to a blast
from Paingloss's truncheon. Sardanus was served by the Darkpawns, small, semi-humanoid creatures which could swarm over
and attack his enemies.
Savant was a native of Searland, and the advisor to the
Half-Queen. It was he who reminded Delandra that she needed to
deal with the invasion of Sardanus when she sought to send
Paingloss away to find more creatures for her menagerie.
Shadow Sharks were carniverous bat-like creatures of Shadow-Realm.
They flew in flocks(?) and would attack any unprotected being out
in the open. They could fly at great speeds, and possessed razor
sharp fangs. Their large numbers made them a potentially lethal
threat.
Joaquin Zairre
was a reknowned Satanist, to whom Jack Russell's friend
Buck Cowan, brought him in search of a potential cure for
lycanthropy (werewolf-ism). They posed as reporters interviewing
him, but Zairre saw through it, and knew Russell was a werewolf.
Russell was quite disturbed by Zairre, and he and Buck left
abruptly. However, on the next night of his first full moon,
Zairre found them and captured them at gunpoint. Zairre sought to
sacrifice the supernatural creature of the Werewolf to the
demon(s) he worshipped to gain their favor, and potentially great
power as well. Zairre brought Russell to a cavern of legendary
occult power for the sacrifice, but the cavern also served as a
portal to Biphasia. The Werewolf was dragged away by Grithstane
before Zairre could shoot him. At the same time, Cowan broke free
and attempted to stop Zairre. The Werewolf was returned almost
instantly, and Cowan succeeded in knocking Zairre into the pool
which served as the portal to Biphasia, into which he was
presumably pulled.
Appearances:
Giant-Size Werewolf by Night#5 (July, 1975) - Doug Moench (writer), Yong Montano (artist), Len Wein (editor)
First Posted: 09/30/2001
Last Updated: 09/12/2010
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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