BARON
ZEBEK
BARON
ZEBEK
Real Name: Zebek
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Microverse)
humanoid;
Former Aegyptan & Ant Tican citizen
Occupation: Former ruler/tyrant of Ant Tica, conqueror
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Dog Soldiers, Shadow Priests (see comments)
Enemies: Alpha Flight (Flex, Guardian synthoid, Manbot, Murmur, Puck, Radius, Vindicator), Ant Ticans, Micronauts (Bug, Dexam, Mari, Arcturus Rann)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Ant Tica, Jungle Zone,
Homeworld;
formerly Aegypta, Sand Zone, Homeworld
First Appearance: Alpha Flight I#10 (May, 1998)
Powers/Abilities: Zebek could ether transform into or attach himself to parts to achieve a powerful centaur form, in which he had at least the lower body strength of a horse. He could further launch his hands from his wrists, controlling them to strangle others even from a distance.
History:
(Alpha Flight I#10 (fb) - BTS) - Baron Zebek and his followers came from Aegypta
to Ant Tica, slaughtering its queen and enslaving its colony, forcing them to
build city from which he would rule.
(Micronauts I#58 (fb) - BTS / Alpha Flight I#10 (fb) - BTS) - Ant Tica somehow escaped Baron Karza's genocidal slaughter of Homeworld's population, using it as fodder for his Body Banks.
(Alpha Flight I#10 (fb) - BTS) - Many of the Ant Ticans were forced to toil ceaselessly, building weapons and buildings for Zebek, or they were forced to fight for their lives within the gladiatorial ring. They were led to believe that by working hard they would be rewarded by being taken within the palace, but the few that made it into the palace acted only as servants for Zebek and his men. A tale of Zebek's peaceful arrival and alliance with the Ant Tican queen was crafted and spread to the Ant Ticans, who were convinced that Zebek was a fair and just ruler with their best interests at heart.
(Alpha Flight I#10 (fb) - BTS) - Zebek established Body Banks--based on those Karza used--harvesting limbs and other body parts from some to give to others. He also commanded the creation of the Quarkarion, a powerful subatomic bomb, allegedly to use to ensure peace with the other spheres of Homeworld, since they would not want to war against Ant Tica upon learning of their bomb.
(Alpha Flight I#11 (fb) - BTS) - The Micronauts learned the truth behind the rumors of Zebek's peaceful legend. They infiltrated Zebek's "Shadow Priests."
(Alpha Flight I#10) - Alpha Flight, who had fled to the
Microverse via a Prometheus Pit to escape Department H's Epsilon guards, arrived
on Ant Tica, where the "Shadow Priests" met with them, telling them how their
coming was prophesied. They told the visitors of Baron Zebek, and how he was the
savior of his people, how he was a noble explorer who extended a hand in
friendship and established a peaceful relationship with the Ant Ticans.
The "Shadow Priests" led Alpha Flight to Zebek's palace, and
Zebek greeted them warmly then invited them to join him at dinner, during which
they watched a gladiatorial fight in which a more humanoid Ant Tican was
slaughtered by the more monstrous Ant Tican Cha Lonn.
Later that night, Alpha wandered the city and surrounding
area, and they learned of the Body Banks (in which Manbot was being held) and
the Quarkarion, and they encountered the Micronauts, who had infiltrated the
"Shadow Priests."
(Alpha Flight I#11) - The Micronauts told the Alphans of
Zebek's subjugation and cultural genocide of the Ant Ticans, but they were then
discovered by Zebek (who had taken his centaur form) and his Dog Soldiers.
Harshly questioned and accused of treachery by Zebek, Alpha chose to fight back,
joining the Micronauts against the soldiers, though Zebek himself fled the
battle. The Micronauts used their ship, the Endeavor, to help the Alphans escape
the soldiers. They later returned, again posing as Shadow Priests, bringing the
Alphas to the Body Banks. There they freed Manbot, as well as convincing the Ant
Ticans to rebel against Zebek's tyranny and storm his palace. Zebek then arrived
and fought the heroes, namely Rann and Guardian. Rann revealed that Zebek was
held together by magnetic couplings, and Guardian used an electromagnetic pulse
to uncouple him, separating him from his hands and his equine lower body.
Refusing to accept defeat, Zebek ordered the Quarkarion to be launched, but his
former servants, having learned the truth about Zebek from the Alphans, refused
to obey him. They instead asked that Zebek's remaining body be given to them,
and they would take him to the Body Banks whose last action would be to process
the Baron into a full horse that he may finally serve his society.
Alpha helped dismantle Zebek's weapons, and the Ant Ticans
tore down his monuments, after which Alpha returned to Earth.
Comments: Created by Steven Seagle, Anthony Winn, and Aaron Sowd.
The Shadow Priests were actually associated with the Time Travelers and Enigma Force, and they would have almost certainly opposed Zebek if they new him. I would think it more likely that Zebek somehow recruited the Faceless Priests, who were the servants of Baron Karza.
The Ant Ticans are referred to as Insectivorids, like those of Kaliklak. I think it was just a vague familiarity with the Microverse that generated this. I've always thought Insectivorid an odd term, as an insectivore eats insects. Its weird to call a bug-person an insectivorid unless he's some sort of cannibal. But this was established nearly 30 years ago, so there's no arguing it now.
Zebek is a weak substitute for Karza.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to
images: (without ads)
Alpha Flight I#10, p14, panel 1 (slaughtering Ant Ticans)
p15, panel 4 (human close-up)
#11 cover (centaur form)
Other Appearances:
Alpha Flight II#11 (June, 1998) - by Steven Seagle (writer), Ariel Olivetti
(pencils), Pier Brito (inker), Jaye Garner (editor)
First Posted: 03/24/2006
Last updated: 12/27/2013
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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