DESERT DEMONS DESERT DEMONS
Membership: Margrace, Pharoid, others unidentified
Purpose: Maintaining the peace and protecting the people of Aegypta, Sandzone
Aliases: None
Affiliations: Gar'ee of the Knights of Neep, Lowies of Subzone, Micronauts (notably Acroyear, Biotron, Bug, Devil, Fireflyte, Huntarr (Iann-23), Marionette/Mari, Microtron, Nanotron, Arcturus Rann), Slug;
their unidentified Ostras steeds (likely more than one over time);
formerly Argon/Force Commander and his "Revolutionary Army" (actually Dog Soldiers by that time)
Enemies: Argon/Force Commander (while he was under Baron Karza's control), Baron
Karza, Centauri (notably Centaurus, Karsh), Dog Soldiers, Faceless
Priests, Priests of the Light, Shaitan, ;
while anyone who was an enemy of Pharoid was almost certainly an enemy
of the Desert Demons, I'm listing only those the Desert Demons directly opposed
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
many, if not all, died in the arena in First Zone's royal city, Homeworld, Microverse proper;
at least formerly Aegypta, Sandzone, the fifth zone/"molecule" of Homeworld, Microverse proper
First Appearance: Micronauts
I#23/2 (November, 1980)
Powers/Abilities: The Desert Demons rode astride ostra (rattite-like creature native to Sandzone), upon which they could travel great distances at great speed.
They wielded hand-blasters as well
as a sword for direct combat, and they were experienced in fighting
atop their ostra, giving them a "high-ground" advantage
Accustomed to the arid and
sun-scorched desert of Sandzone, they wore uniforms to protect their
skin and eyes.
They were willing to fight against
greater numbers of heavily-armed foes, and they were also willing to
sacrifice themselves for others.
History:
(Micronauts
I#25/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - After Karza's defeat
(circa Micronauts I#11), the Desert Demons aided Pharoid in reclaiming
the protectorate of Aegypta and established a civil rule.
(Micronauts
I#23/3: Tales of the Microverse) - The Desert Demons watched from the
ridge above as the
centaurian Argon (under Karza's control), joined by a group of
Centauri, carried the captive Slug across his back across the Syanite
desert.
At Pharoid's direction, they delayed the rescue of Slug until her captors thought themselves safe in the their tents in the Grey Oasis, after which they attacked under Pharoid's command; Pharoid blasted Centaurus.
(Micronauts
I#24/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Pharoid urged his men to ride down the rest of the Centauri
so they could rescue the maiden the Centauri had captured.
Entering
Shaitan's tent upon his ostra, Pharoid confronted and skewered Shaitan
with his rapier, but the undead/resurrected Shaitan was unharmed, and
Slug saved the caught-off-guard Pharoid by using the Centauri Karsh's
crossbow to blast the sword back.
Shaitan
subsequently departed with Argon aboard his sand skimmer, presumably
along with some Faceless Priests. As Slug urged Pharoid to stop him,
Pharoid assured her that not even the fastest ostra could overtake
Shaitan's skimmer.
Slug -- riding her own
ostra at her insistence-- accompanied the Desert Demons across Sandzone and descended
into the subterranean realm of Aegypta.
(Micronauts
I#25/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Alongside the Desert Demons, Pharoid
led Slug through Aegypta and discussed the legends of Karza's transformation.
(Micronauts
I#25/2: Tales of the Microverse - BTS) - Argon's body was completely taken over by
Karza's life force, transforming to match Karza's form and power.
(Micronauts
I#26/2: Tales of the Microverse (fb) - BTS) - Riding atop ostra, the Desert Demons (including Pharoid and presumably Margrace) and Slug arrived at the cavern in which Argon's empty
Force Commander armor laid.
They appreciated what had happened to Argon
and that Karza was back (having taken over Argon's form; although he had already traveled to Earth's dimension).
(Micronauts
I#26/2: Tales of the Microverse) - The
Desert Demons and Slug were present as Mari arrived there, having
returned from Earth's dimension.
(Micronauts I#26/2: Tales of the Microverse) - Pharoid, Slug, and Mari traveled to First Zone's Royal City, met with the Planetary Council, and learned that Karza had taken control of the Time Travelers.
(Micronauts
I#34) - After Pharoid and the Micronauts arrived in Aegypta, Pharoid followed previous orders from Argon (who was secretly still under the influence
of Baron Karza) and participated in the Micronaut's capture. Disgusted with Pharoid's actions, Margrace departed with Slug.
Along
with Slug and the roboid Nanotron, Margrace and Pharoid (who lamented
his previous actions) freed the Micronauts. While the Micronauts
re-gathered the Keys to the Enigma Force, Margrace, Pharoid, and Slug
stayed behind and held the corridor against the approaching Dog
Soldiers.
(Micronauts
I#34 (fb) - BTS) - After defeating the Dog Soldiers, Pharoid, Margrace,
and Slug returned to Desert Zone's surface and reunited with the rest
of the Desert Demons, who took out the Dog Soldiers stationed outside Aegypta.
(Micronauts
I#34) - After the Micronauts reached the surface and departed to
use the Keys to save the Microverse, Argon led the Dog Soldiers to
the surface to ambush
Margrace, Pharoid, Slug, and the Desert Demons, and a brief but
bitter battle ensued.
(Micronauts
I#35 (fb) - BTS) - Margrace, Pharoid, Slug, and the Desert Demons apparently fled (see comments).
(Micronauts
I#35) - Pharoid led a charge of the Desert Demons
(as well as Slug) from out in the Syanite Desert to confront Argon and
his Dog Soldiers, seeking to delay their pursuit of the Micronauts.
Ultimately, the Dog Soldiers, aided by their
airborne forces, devastated the gravely outnumbered Desert Demons.
(Micronauts
I#43 (fb) - BTS) - Pharoid and Slug were captured, but Margrace and other Desert Demons escaped.
Micronauts
I#43) - Allied
with Rebellion members in the subterranean shelter level Sanctuary,
Margrace met with returning Micronauts (Acroyear, Bug, Mari), and
discussed Slug's seeming betrayal (Slug's mind had been exchanged via
the Body Banks with that of Belladonna, who supported Argon).
(Micronauts
I#44) - Margrace led the Desert Demons to aid the Micronauts in fighting off the Dog Soldiers and leading the Lowlies of Subzone (the lower levels below First Zone)
to rebel against the corrupt Priests of the Light (who sought to dupe
them into gambling their life credits and getting involved with the
Body Banks, where their bodies would be used as spare parts for the
wealthy and the Dog Soldiers).
After the Dog Soldiers
had been swiftly routed, Margrace reminded the Micronauts that they
needed to get back to Sanctuary, as some of the priests had escaped and
they would inform Force Commander of their raid.
(Micronauts
I#45) - Alongside Acroyear, Bug, Gar'ee, and the Lowlies, Margrace participated in an assault on the Body Banks, freeing those imprisoned there.
As the Dog Soldiers fired on the Lowlies, Margrace helped guide the
rescued and rescuers back through the hole cut
through its floor from a Subzone tunnel by Gar'ee, urging them hurry
back to the safety of Sanctuary while he, Bug and Acroyear continued to
keep the Dog Soldiers focused on them so that Marionette would have to
time to learn the truth about Slug in the royal palace.
(Micronauts
I#49 - BTS) - Margrace
and the Desert Demons were present in hiding as Argon initiated the
wedding gladiatorial games, which concluded when Belladonna (in Slug's form) exposed Argon as a non-human energy creature. Baron Karza then emerged from the Force Commander armor.
(Micronauts I#49)
- Margrace subsequently noted the approach of the immense Bioship, captained by the Micronaut's leader, Arcturus Rann.
(Micronauts I#50)
- After the Micronauts slew the Death Squad, Karza slew Slug and
Belladonna, as well as Pharoid when he vengefully charged Karza.
Margrace led the Desert
Demons into arena, exhorting them to fight for Homeworld, for the
Microverse, and for poor, dead prince Pharoid.
After Karza defeated the Micronauts, he slew Margrace with an energy
blast and then wiped out the forces of the rebellion and all
resistance to his reign, including the Desert Demons.
(Micronauts I#50 - BTS) - Teleported away by Fireflyte, the Micronauts escaped Karza into space aboard the Bioship.
Comments: Created by Bill Mantlo, Pat Broderick, and Danny Bulanadi.
This profile focuses on the Desert Demons as a group. Pharoid's profile has detail on his various Micronauts adventures without the Desert Demons.
Pharoid and the Desert Demons vs. Force Commander and the Dog Soldiers:
At the end of Micronauts I#34, it seemed like the Dog Soldiers ambushed and captured Slug and the Desert Demons, after which Argon, in his usual white Force Commander armor, denounced the escaped Micronauts as traitors.
At the start of Micronauts I#35, Argon was denouncing the Micronauts, so it seemed like a recap...but now Argon was wearing a black version of the Force Commander armor and riding a black steed. And then Slug and the Desert Demons attacked and fought a protracted battle.
I had initially thought #35 was just expanding on
the events of the last page of #34.
However, on closer examination, in
#34, Slug and the Desert Demons were standing outside the entrance to
subterranean Aegypta, and they were ambushed by the Dog Soldiers.
In #35,
Argon is with his Dog Soldiers on the surface when Slug and the Desert
Demons charge in astride Ostras from the desert. It makes most sense
that these are just subsequent events, and Argon progressing to the
black armor fits with that, too.
Following the genocide of Homeworld, that was it for the Desert Demons
and their steeds. There were flashback stories in the New Voyages but
I’m fairly certain we saw no appearances nor cameos. Upon return to
Homeworld at the end of New Voyages, it was desolate.
--Spider-Mike Fichera
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Desert Demons have no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Micronauts
I#23/2, pg. 2, panel 3 (gathered, observing) - panel 1 is standing but distant
page 5, panel 2 (assaulting Centauri base);
#34, pg. 21, panel 1(over defeated Dog Soldiers);
pg. 22, panel 2 (vs. Argon and Dog Soldiers);
#35, pg. 2, panel 3 (army charging Argon's forces; distant);
panel 4 (Pharoid and Ostra);
panel 5 (army closer);
pg. 3, panel 5 (devastated by Argon's forces)
#44, pg. 18, panel 1 (charging Dog Soldiers)
Appearances:
Micronauts
I#23/2 (November, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick
(penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Louise Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#24/2 (December, 1980) - Bill Mantlo (writer, co-plotter),
Pat Broderick (penciler, co-plotter), Armando Gil (inker), Louise
Jones (editor)
Micronauts I#25/2-26/2 (January-February, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer, co-plotter),
Pat Broderick (penciler, co-plotter), Armando Gil (inker), Louise
Jones (editor)
Micronauts
I#34 (September-October, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Pat Broderick
(penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Micronauts
I#35 (November, 1981) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Val Mayerik
(penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Micronauts I#43 (July, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts
I#44 (August, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Danny
Bulanadi, Carl Potts, & Al Milgrom (inkers), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#45 (September, 1982) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Gil Kane (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Micronauts I#49-50 (January-February, 1983) -
Bill Mantlo (writer), Butch Guice (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker),
Al Milgrom (editor)
First posted: 03/26/2023
Last updated: 03/26/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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