GEBURAN race

Classification: Semi-humanoid extraterrestrial race 

Location/Base of Operations: Gebura, "on the far side of" the Milky Way galaxy (see comments)

Known Members:  Jhagur

Affiliations: None known

Enemies: Unidentified technological wizards and their drones

First Appearance: Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo (1984)

Powers/Abilities:    The only Geburan actually encountered was Jhagur, who is unique via being a reincarnation of an ancient human warrior who perished under mystical circumstances. Nonetheless, I don't believe any of the following abilities were specifically defined as unique to Jhagur.

    Lean upon his arrival to Earth, Jhagur increased in strength and bulk via physical labor, and his strength level at that time appeared to be at least comparable to a human athlete or peak human, if not slightly superhuman ("enhanced human").

    Jhagur can fire indigo energy from his eyes that can incinerate flesh, leaving behind only the underlying bone. 

    When injured, Jhagur can generate a gray substance to cover and heal his body; this substance was highly corrosive to human flesh. However, Amanda Tower, who possessed advanced psychic powers, could contact the gray substance without harm, allowing it coat her body, and enabling her to commune with Jhagur in the Void Indigo (see comments). 

    Unlike (or at least much greater) than other Geburans, Jhagur possessed a "Ninth Sight," a mystic power that allowed him to look beyond his immediate environment -- even beyond this world into other realms -- and then to follow his vision to what he saw. 

    Additional Geburan technology includes a photochromatic camouflaging function, allowing one to replicate the appearance of another humanoid after viewing/capturing that humanoid's appearance.

    They also utilized a trilingual processor that allowed one to immediately speak simple statements and ultimately allowed Jhagur to master an alien language and its vernacular within weeks.  

Traits: Geburans appear to interact directly and speak matter-of-factly, rather than using sarcasm, humor, etc.

    For Geburans, composure, precision, and silence constitute the hallmarks of the art of sexual intercourse.

Type: Bilaterally symmetric semi-humanoid bipeds
Eyes: Two (on head; indigo color seen)
Fingers: Four (plus opposing thumb)
Toes: Five
Skin color: Red
Average height: Approximately 5'10"?

History:
(Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo (fb) - BTS) - By the late 20^th century (see comments), Earth's Hyborian-era (circa 9000 BC) warrior-chieftain Ath'Agaar had been reincarnated in the extraterrestrial Jhagur of the planet Gebura, whose forehead bore a curious birthmark in the precise location of the jeweled spike that had penetrated Ath'Agaar's skull.

(Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo (fb) - BTS) - Jhagur led a space fleet fleeing a dying star and battling the drones of unidentified technological wizards; after the first exchange of fire, only two spacecraft remained intact: One imperial flagship and Jhagur's ship.

(Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo) - When Jhagur was distracted by the eidolon (astral self) of Koth -- one of the Dark Lords who had slain Ath'Agaar and who sought to atone for his past crimes -- Jhagur's ship was blasted by the imperial flagship.

    His ship's engines damaged and its power ebbing, Jhagur had no choice but to flee. 

    Shutting down all systems but minimal life support, Jhagur channeled his craft's remaining power to its tachyon drive, hurtling across light years until the ship's power was all but deleted. Jhagur then banked his ship and opened fire, badly damaging the imperial craft. 

    However, before Jhagur could fire a lethal strike, Koth -- seeking to ensure that Jhagur returned to Earth -- distracted Jhagur by projecting his voice into his mind, and the imperial flagship blasted Jhagur's ship, causing it to crash on the Earth below -- in the very desert that had been Ath'Agaar's last base -- in what is now New Mexico. 

    Jhagur rushed out of the ship moments before it exploded, leaving him stranded, although he vowed in time that he would somehow contact his brethren on Gebura. 

(Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo / Void Indigo#1-2; Void Indigo unpublished scripts#3-6) - Jhagur became involved with complex plots involving the Dark Lords who had slain Ath'Agaar, but none of that had anything to do with the rest of the Geburans. 

Comments: Created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik.

    The only Geburan we have ever seen is Jhagur, who is unique as being a reincarnation of an ancient human warrior who died under mystical circumstances.
    Additionally, the mark on Jhagur's forehead is unique to him...and related to the circumstances under which is previous incarnation perished.
    The headband worn in the close-up of Jhagur's face is not typical of how he appeared prior to coming to Earth, but it is the best image of his face we have.

    Marvel Graphic Novel#11 / Void Indigo identifies the planet Gebura as "some 50,000 light years" from Earth and being on "the far side of the galaxy." Recent estimates note that the Milky Way galaxy is 100,000 - 120,000 light years across, and that Earth is 28,500 light years from the center of the Milky Way. We have a lot more information/knowledge now than we did in 1984, when that information was published.
    Marvel Graphic Novel#11 / Void Indigo has Jhagur consider Earth as having a nitrogen-blue sky...presumably indicating Gebura's sky was different. However, Jhagur could breathe on Earth without assistance. 

VOID INDIGO

• The Void Indigo stories -- creator-owned by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik -- referenced Zhered-Na and Sominus, both creations of Gerber and Mayerik back in the (Adventure into) Fear series.
• Marvel Graphic Novel#11 / Void Indigo has the aged Dark Lords Eeyok, Hemuth, Koth and Zepharr invoke "Kaok, lord of Sominus, whose seed spawned Zhered-Na in the world's dark womb" and call upon his power via blood sacrifice. They sacrificed thousands of young men and women from their five citadels under their rule, regaining some small measure of their lost vigor. Seeking greater power, they then tortured and sacrificed the barbarian chieftain Ath'Agaar and his lover Ren for greater levels of power.
• The graphic novel Void Indigo references Atlantis and the Great Cataclysm (with the Dark Lords being survivors of pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis) and the above conflict took place circa 9000 BC, fitting in with the Hyborian era. An artifact from the conflict was mystically borne nearly 1000 miles away (almost to the sea), ending up in what is now New Mexico. The region that is now North America was known as Novum Terra in the Hyborian era and was minimally referenced in the Conan stories.
• There was a six issue follow-up Void Indigo series planned, but it was cancelled after only two issues. The scripts for issues #3-6 can be found here.
• The modern portions of the Void Indigo story does not reference other modern aspects of Earth-616.
• Ultimately, there is no official ruling on Void Indigo...for whatever reason, I didn't review the series until someone told me in March of 2022 that Zhered-Na was referenced in it, which led to my appreciation of all of this material. I was therefore unaware of this information when I wrote the Zhered-Na profile for the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
• Having reviewed the Void Indigo graphic novel and series/scripts, it my assessment is that there are elements of Reality-616 present in this storyline, which would either make them the same reality or just a reality with common elements. However, there is nothing to exclude it from being Reality-616, and when that's the case, I would certainly not err on the side of exclusion. I think it would add nicely to the tapestry that is Reality-616.. 
• I think it would fit perfectly -- even if likely not what was intended at the time of publication -- to have the modern Void Indigo stories locked into 1984, the time in which they published, rather than being part of the sliding timescale. That would have them taking place decades before the Fantastic Four's space flight. 
• Regardless, it is interesting to consider Zhered-Na's connection to Kaok and Sominus. 
• Specifically, it says that Kaok's seed spawned Zhered-Na. That would seem to make him her father, although "seed" could also refer to his child, making Zhered-Na his granddaughter. 
• Sominus being a realm of demons puts an interesting spin on Zhered-Na, who was a benevolent sorceress worshipping the god Valka. 
• Clearly there's more to the story, but tragically, Steve Gerber passed years ago, and we can't ask him. 
• I talked to Val Mayerik, but unfortunately, he doesn't remember the details. But, I'm hoping that doing these profiles may jog his memory...
• Regardless, Val provided artwork for Kaok, who was only mentioned in the published issues.
  
• Jhagur will get his own profile eventually...probably September, 2026.

    As I re-read this story, it occurs to me that it would be VERY interesting of the technological wizards that the Geburans opposed were the heads of Mys-Tech. The Techno-Wizards have been active since roughly 1000 A.D., and they have been active in distant star systems and even via time-travel to alternate/potential futures.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Geburans should be distinguished from:

• GEB - Heliopolis god of Earth, son of Shu + Tefnut, brother of Nut and Thoth, father of Horus the Elder, Isis, Nephthys, Osiris, and Seth--Thor I#241
• GEBEL-HAN of the Hyborian era - Zamoran, sought to woo Tanith-Lee, passed the trial of her father, Xaltotum--Savage Sword of Conan I#67
• GEB-SIRIS of the Hyborian era - Black Ring--Savage Sword of Conan#206
• other "Geb" characters, groups, items, events, races, or places...

A (per editorial) tyrannical empire led by techno-wizards was opposed by the Geburans. (Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo (fb) - BTS) - Jhagur led a space fleet fleeing a dying star and battling the drones of unidentified technological wizards; after the first exchange of fire, only two spacecraft remained intact: One imperial flagship and Jhagur's ship. (Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo) - When Jhagur was distracted by the eidolon (astral self) of Koth -- one of the Dark Lords who had slain Ath'Agaar and who sought to atone for his past crimes -- Jhagur's ship was blasted by the imperial flagship; his ship's engines damaged and its power ebbing, Jhagur had no choice but to flee.      Shutting down all systems but minimal life support, Jhagur channeled his craft's remaining power to its tachyon drive, hurtling across light years until the ship's power was all but deleted. Jhagur then banked his ship and opened fire, badly damaging the imperial craft. However, before Jhagur could fire a lethal strike, Koth -- seeking to ensure that Jhagur returned to Earth -- distracted Jhagur by projecting his voice into his mind, and the imperial flagship blasted Jhagur's ship, causing it to crash on the Earth below --Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo

images: (without ads)
Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo, pg. 23-24 (space battle; various destroyed ships and floating corpses, with only the Imperial flagship and Jhagur's fighter craft);
        pg. 25, panel 4 (interior of Jhagur's craft and Jhagur's language);
        pg. 26, panel 1 (Jhagur's ship vs. imperial craft)
        pg. 30, panel 5 (Jhagur, spacesuit (damaged), full)
        pg. 32, panel 6 (Jhagur, spacesuit, upper body);
        pg. 33, panel 2 (energy released from eyes);
        pg. 47/last page (Jhagur face)

Appearances:
Marvel Graphic Novel#11: Void Indigo (1984) - Steve Gerber (writer), Val Mayerik (artist), Laurie Sutton (assistant editor), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Void Indigo#1 (November, 1984) - Steve Gerber (writer), Val Mayerik (artist), Laurie Sutton (assistant editor), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Void Indigo#2 (March, 1985) - Steve Gerber (writer), Val Mayerik (artist), Laurie Sutton (assistant editor), Archie Goodwin (editor)
unpublished scripts for #3-6 (November 8, 1984) - Steve Gerber

First posted: 02/28/2023
Last updated: 02/28/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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