ALGOL DEMONSTAR

Real Name: Algol

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (race unidentified) magic/energy user

Occupation: Mercenary warrior/gladiator

Group Membership: Warriors of the Audience

Affiliations: Audience race, Bruindilda, Promoter

Enemies: Bruindilda, Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Audience's arenas, such as (formerly) the unidentified asteroid on which he battled the Silver Surfer

First Appearance: Silver Surfer III#39 (July, 1990)

 

Powers/Abilities: Algol's abilities are derived largely from the Demonstar, which, in turn, derived its power from the black-star Beta-Persei. What levels of strength and durability (or any other superhuman abilities) Algol possessed without the Demonstar is uncertain, but its energies bolstered Algol to levels enabling him to physically battle (and endure energy assaults from) the cosmic energy-bolstered Surfer. Algol retained such strength even when the Demonstar left his hands, the duration without and the distance from the Demonstar that he can retain power are unrevealed. Algol could cast the Demonstar away from his person and cause it to return to a location of his choosing and act under pre-set commands. 
    The Demonstar could project the energy of its wielder's imagination as well as absorb the memories and/or energies of his opponents; it absorbed memories from those it contacted, even briefly, and, under Algol's command, could project those memories for others who contacted it. Algol frequently used it as a weapon to bludgeon opponents (with either blunt end of the staff) and/or to parry assaults, as well as form powerful force barriers. He could direct its more spherical end to extend a trio of several inch long spikes to pierce others. It could fire energy blasts sufficient to stun the Silver Surfer, as well as project bands of negative energy to incapacitate and/or contain such cosmic-powered foes. It could not be used as a transporter, at least according to Algol.

 

 

 

 

Height: Approximately 6'3" (we don't see him clearly measured against the Surfer, so there's no definite size reference I can tell)
Weight: Approximately 260 lbs. (based on the above)
Eyes: White (cat-like slit pupils in white background (iris?)); sometimes seen to glow red in darkness, possibly a tapetal reflection
Hair: None originally (later some pink tendrils on his mutated skull)

History:
(Silver Surfer III#39 (fb) - BTS) - Of unrevealed origins, the eldritch "Demonstar," derived its power from the black-star Beta-Persei.

(Silver Surfer III#39 (fb) - BTS) - Algol obtained the Demonstar under unrevealed circumstances, he came to be known as Algol Demonstar.

(Silver Surfer III#39 (fb) - BTS) - Serving as a mercenary warrior/gladiator for the Audience, Algol went undefeated for 3 years.

(Silver Surfer III#39) - Ambushed in the Audience's arena by at least five other combatants, Algol overcame them all, and he petitioned the Audience for judgment; they uniformly answered "Thumbs down." Algol extended spikes from his staff's mace and prepared to execute his foe, but the Silver Surfer, who had happened upon the arena in his wanderings, blasted Algol to prevent the senseless murder. The other performers informed the Surfer of the nature of the combat, after which Algol smashed the astonished Surfer. The Promoter advised Algol that this could be the greatest fight of his career and that the crowd would pay top rate to see him "whack" the Surfer, though Algol considered it personal and was willing to take the Surfer for free. After the Promoter convinced Algol of the potential for profit, she apologized for Algol to and tried to enlist the Surfer, explaining the nature of the high risk, high pay gladiatorial combat for the fight-loving Audience. As the Surfer expressed his disgust, Algol voiced his desire for battle, but the Surfer refused and departed aboard his surfboard.

    The Promoter told Algol the Audience was willing to pay triple to see a fight for the Surfer, and she advised him to "make with your magic rod and zap 'handsome' back here!" Algol denounced the Surfer as a coward, merely pretending to be noble to hide his true nature from himself. Algol noted that the Demonstar could project the energy of his imagination or absorb the memories of his opponents, but it was not a transporter. Instructing the Promoter to grasp the Demonstar's glowing end, Algol allowed her to glimpse the Surfer's memories. Confirming that the Surfer was a major league warrior, the Promoter summoned Bruindilda.

    The Promoter had Bruindilda grasp the globe, seek the memory of Shalla Bal, assume her form, and send a telepathic distress message to the Surfer. When Bruindilda's initial efforts failed, Algol extended the Demonstaff's spikes into her face and told her to do it or die Spurred by real danger, Bruindilda successfully contacted the Surfer; though suspecting the duplicity, the Surfer was unwilling to take the chance of not going back in case it was really Shalla Bal. The Surfer returned as Algol began assaulting "Shalla" while the Promoter encouraged Algol's abuse; now convinced it really was Shalla, the Surfer rushed to the rescue, anxiety blinding him to danger, and Algol blasted the Surfer, knocking him off his board. Nonetheless, momentum carried the Surfer forward within striking distance of Algol. Though Algol insisted the Surfer's power was useless against the Demonstar's force barriers, the Surfer blasted through the barrier, shattering the bottom portion of Algol's helmet. Shouting that that had never been done to him in a thousand battles, an enraged Algol struck back, attempting to drain the Surfer dry. The Surfer summoned his board, but Algol contained him in bands of negative energy that shocked and suffocated him. Marshalling the power cosmic, the Surfer burst free and told Algol he would fail, but Algol responded that Demonstar had taken his measure and that he his doom was sealed. The Surfer plotted to separate Algol from the Demonstar, but Algol instead spontaneously cast it high into the air and tackled the Surfer off of his board. The Surfer rolled and cast Algol away, but then the Demonstar staff landed on the Surfer's head (as Algol planned), draining the Surfer's power. Algol then battered the Surfer into submission and held the Demonstar over him, spikes extended. When the Audience chose death for the Surfer, Algol held off on earning his kill bonus until after revealing "Shalla" was actually Bruindilda. Furious over Algol taunting him and mocking his love, the Surfer unleashed an eyeblast that transmuted the Demonstar into loose atoms. Grabbing Algol by the neck and condemning him as a bitter soul for never knowing love, the Surfer then tore off Algol's helmet, revealing his true face, his features warped by by constant contact with evil magic of the Demonstar staff.

 

    The Promoter warned the Surfer that he should have killed Algol, as Algol would be madder than Hell upon recovering. The Promoter futilely continued to try to enlist the Surfer as a combatant and to slay Algol, and the Audience would give him anything he desired, minus the Promoter's 20%, of course. Despite the Surfer's efforts, the Audience and their gladiators (presumably including Algol) escaped through a transporter to parts unrevealed.


 

Comments: Created by Alan Grant and James T. Sherman.

    At least according to Wikipedia (whatever that's worth) and some other more astronomically oriented sites, Algol, aka Beta Persei, is a trinary star system, the brightest "star" in the constellation Perseus. http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/algol.html
    Surely one of the most remarkable stars of the sky and appropriately one of the most famed, Algol is the second magnitude Beta star of Perseus, the great mythological hero who rescued Andromeda from Cetus the Sea Monster. The Arabic name, "al Ghul" (related to our word "ghoul"), means "the demon," from a longer phrase that refers to the demon's head. In Greek mythology, Algol represents the Medusa's head with which Perseus turned Cetus to stone, the star considered an "unlucky" one for centuries. To the eye, this class B (B8) star appears rather normal, its slightly bluish white light radiating from a surface with a temperature of 12,500 K. Like the Sun, it is a main sequence dwarf star fusing hydrogen in its core, though it is 3.5 times more massive. From its distance of 93 light years, we calculate a visual luminosity about 100 times that of the Sun, raised to 180 times if we factor in the invisible ultraviolet light radiated by the hot surface. Steady observation, however, reveals a surprise. As regular as clockwork, every 2.867... days, the brightness of the star plummets from mid second magnitude (2.1) to the dim end of third (3.4, just 30 percent of normal), the whole event (including recovery) taking only a few hours.

    I guess the the Arabic name is the reason Beta-Persei is referred to as a "black star" that is the source of the Demonstar's eldritch energy. Anyone with a better knowledge of astronomy, feel free to chime in!

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:

images: (without ads)
Silver Surfer III#39, pg. 1 - main image;
        pg. 2, panel 4 (profile);
        pg. 3, panel 4 (helmet and spikes close up);
        pg. 13, panel 1 (negative energy bands);
        pg. 17, panel 1 (Algol's true face)

Appearances:
Silver Surfer III#39 (July, 1990) - Alan Grant (story), James T. Sherman (art & color), Craig Anderson (editor)

Last updated: 07/07/13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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