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STYGORR THE NIGHTLORD

Real Name: Stygorr

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Negative Zone, unnamed planet)

Occupation: Self-proclaimed ruler

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Annihilus, Blastaar, Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Girl/Susan Richards-Storm, Mr. Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm), Lew Shiner

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Lord of Sub-Space

Base of Operations: Distortion Zone

First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#231 (June, 1981)

Powers/Abilities: A native of the Distortion Zone, the continuum separating the positive matter universe from the antimatter Negative Zone, Stygorr was able to shift his body mass from matter to antimatter at will. This allowed him to exist in either environment, travelling between them without any technological aid. Apparently, his powers could only affect physical objects while Stygorr was comprised of antimatter. In his positive matter form, he could affect energy fields. Additionally, Stygorr possessed enhanced senses that made him aware of any and all foreign objects that entered his domain. He was able to fly and fire energy blasts, Stygorr could also detect alterations in force fields.

head shot

Height: 7'4"
Weight: 280 lbs.
Eyes: Violet
Hair: Unrevealed

History:

(Fantastic Four I#231 (fb) - BTS) - For eons, the unnamed, unknown rulers of several unrevealed Negative Zone races used the Distortion Zone to rid themselves of the criminal elements of their society.

(Fantastic Four I#230 - BTS) - Seeking to avert planetary destruction at the hands of the Ebon Seeker, the Fantastic Four's leader Mr. Fantastic shifted the villain into the Negative Zone, unintentionally bringing a few cityblocks around the Baxter Building along as well. Once the threat of the Ebon Seeker had passed, the Fantastic Four were stuck with the seemingly impossible task to return the chunk of New York City real estate home.

(Fantastic Four I#231 (fb) - BTS) - Not too long after Reed Richards transported a sizeable portion of Manhattan into the Distortion Zone between the positive and antimatter universe, Stygorr, the self-proclaimed ruler of the realm became aware of the unwilling intruders. He grew incensed at the idea yet another civilization had invaded his homeland, using it as a dumping ground for dissidents.

(Fantastic Four I#231) - Just as the Fantastic Four tried to figure out how to return home, Stygorr the Nightlord attacked the containment field Reed Richards had erected around the city chunk.  While fighting off the FF, Stygorr boastfully claimed to be the equal of "petty Negative Zone upstarts" like Blastaar and Annihilus while continuing to blast the field. Stygorr was briefly beaten back by Mr. Fantastic and the Thing who physically assaulted him, but he soon resumed his energy attacks. Stygorr's continuous blasting had caused the piece of Manhattan to gradually start turning. Reed figured that Stygorr could inadvertently help them return to Earth if they could trick him into unleashing sufficient energy to generate the momentum required to carry them across the Distortion Zone towards home. The team decided the best way to achieve this was by hurling a number of nearby abandoned buildings at Stygorr. The Invisible Girl used a massive forcefield to push the buildings off the island towards Stygorr. Preparing to blast this sudden barrage of positive matter, Stygorr started to shift his own form into antimatter just as he was hit by Lew Shiner, a man who was hiding inside one of the buildings. The two merged for a brief moment, before causing a gigantic matter/antimatter explosion that propelled the floating island towards home.

(Fantastic Four I#251 - BTS) - On the eve of embarking on an extended exploration of the Negative Zone, Reed Richards assured the Thing he was well aware of the many dangers inside the Zone. To illustrate his point, Reed called up images of their most notorious Negative Zone enemies Annihilus, Blastaar and Stygorr.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench & Gurland,  Bill Sienkiewicz & Jerome Moore, Joe Sinnot & Frank Giacoia

Say what you want about Stygorr...he may seem like little more than a poor man's Annihilus with comically large goggles...but darn it, I like the guy. Yet, judging from Doug Moench's revelation in 2006's Comics Creators On The Fantastic Four, Stygorr most likely only saw the light of day because Marvel editorial didn't allow him to use any of the team's classic foes. Feeling they had been overused, FF editor Jim Salicrup told Moench he had to leave them alone for at least a year, while Moench couldn't wait to tell stories with them...which apparently explains him coming up with passable substitutes like Stygorr and Ebon Seeker (a stand in Galactus level threat by any other name). Still, the Lord of Sub-Space had potential. Just imagine the stories one could tell with a being comprised of both negative and positive matter, who also ruled a realm which bordered a great number of universes and alternate realities? It's a shame Stygorr was never touched on again. If anything, he could have shown up as one of the Stranger's prisoners, for instance. The Gideon Trust could have used Stygorr as an ideal tourguide in their exploration/exploitation of the Negative Zone (especially if you count in the fact he was merged with the greedy, business type like Lew Shiner)...He could even have put in a cameo as one of the incarcerated bad guys seen in the Fantastic Four: Foes limited series... Heck, if Occulus made the cut, the Nightlord ought to have been a shoe in!

Stygorr appeared in a couple of Marvel Super Heroes roleplaying game books by TSR. They were Warlord of Baluur and Stygian Knight (part of a Fantastic Four trilogy with Spore of Anthros). He had survived the merger with Lew Shiner and gained increased intelligence and powers, going on to acquire the Cosmic Control Rod.
--Changeling

Stygorr the Nightlord received an entry in FF: 50 Fantastic Years#1.

Profile by Norvo.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Stygorr the Nightlord has no known connections to

Lew Shiner has no known connections to:

Lew Shiner

Lew Shiner

Lew Shiner was in charge of a demolition crew assigned to tear down a number of abandoned offices near the Baxter Building. Lew and his men were among the civilians transported to the Distortion Zone by Reed Richards. Furious this meant they wouldn't be able to meet their deadline, Lew rallied his workers and led a charge on the Baxter Building with bulldozers and other demolition site equipment. Lew planned to storm the FF headquarters to force the team to return them home. A police officer tried to stop them, but was overrun by the crowd. His gun was delivered to Shiner, who fired at the Human Torch during their confrontation with the FF, almost killing the young hero. Shocked by his actions, Shiner's men abandoned him, which caused a maddened Lew to retreat to his construction site to plan anew. Shiner hid in one of the condemned buildings when he saw the Torch approaching. Johnny was checking to see if the buildings were really empty before the FF would launch them into Sub-Space in order to return home. When the Invisible Girl pushed the buildings off the island, Lew hurtled through Sub-Space and hit Stygorr the Nightlord, just as the villain shifted his matter from positive to negative. The two beings merged for a split second, right before the meeting of matter and antimatter apparently destroyed them both.

--Fantastic Four I#231






images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#231, p7, pan2 (main image)
Fantastic Four I#231, p7, pan1 (face)
Fantastic Four I#231, p15, pan4 (lew shiner)

Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#231 (June 1981) - Doug Moench, Gurland(writers), Bill Siekiewicz, Jerome Moore(pencils), Joe Sinnott, Bill Sienkiewicz, Frank Giacola(inks), Jim Salicrup(editor)

Last updated: 10/03/13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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