Tyroc

Tyroc
Tyroc as depicted in All-New Collectors' Edition C-55 (March 1978). Art by James Sherman and Jack Abel.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuperboy #216 (April 1976)
Created byCary Bates (writer)
Mike Grell (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoTroy Stewart
SpeciesMetahuman
Place of originEarth
Team affiliationsLegion of Super-Heroes
AbilitiesReality warping scream

Tyroc (Troy Stewart) is a fictional character appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. Created by writer Cary Bates and artist Mike Grell, he first appeared in Superboy #216 (April 1976), and is one of DC's first black superheroes.[1]

Publication history

Tyroc first appeared in Superboy #216 (April 1976), and was created by Cary Bates and Mike Grell.

Jim Shooter, who had been prevented from introducing black characters into the Legion in the 1960s,[2] objected to Tyroc's characterization, criticizing the concept of his people being racial separatists and isolationists.[3]

Grell had previously tried to introduce black characters into the series, but was prevented by editor Murray Boltinoff.[4][5] He criticized the concept of Tyroc's society as well as his powers.[6] Grell's dislike of Tyroc was strong enough that he gave him a deliberately ridiculous costume, which he compared to Elvis Presley and pimp attire.[5] Furthermore, Tyroc was modeled after football player Fred Williamson.[6]

Some writers, including long-time Legion scribe Paul Levitz, claimed that Tyroc's sound-based powers made him difficult to depict in the silent comic book medium.[7][8] Despite his initial stance on the character, Levitz included Tyroc in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 6).[9]

Fictional character biography

Tyroc is a resident of Marzal, an island which usually exists in another dimension and occasionally appears on Earth. Its people are descended from African slaves who revolted while being transported to North America in the 1700s and developed an advanced civilization with extreme isolationist tendencies.

Tyroc from Superboy #216
artist Mike Grell.

The Legion of Super-Heroes first meets Tyroc while responding to an emergency on Marzal. He initially refuses their help before working with them to save the island and joining the group.[10][11][12]

Later, Marzal is destroyed by the Dominators.[13] Invisible Kid and Tyroc join a rebellion against them and are rewarded by respectively becoming Earth's president and vice president.[14][15] Eventually, Jacques resigns to rejoin the Legion and Troy ascends to the presidency.[16]

Post-Infinite Crisis

Following Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Tyroc does not appear for many years, making brief appearances in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 5) #15 and Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #1. He returns in The New 52 title Legion Lost, where he, Wildfire, Gates, Dawnstar, Timber Wolf, Chameleon Girl, and Tellus are trapped in the 21st century while pursuing a time-traveling genetic terrorist.

Powers and abilities

Tyroc is a metahuman with reality-warping screams that possess various effects. He can create dimensional portals and force fields, transmute matter, generate fire and wind, telekinetically manipulate objects, manipulate weather and plants, induce vertigo, and view the past.[17]

As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, he is provided with a Legion Flight Ring, which allows him to fly, survive in space, and communicate with his teammates.

In other media

References

  1. ^ Mal Duncan is introduced in Teen Titans #26 (March/April 1970), but does not become a superhero until issue #44 (November 1976). John Stewart is introduced as a Green Lantern in Green Lantern #87 (December 1971/January 1972), but does not become a main character until issue #182 (November 1984).
  2. ^ Cadigan, p. 53.
  3. ^ Cadigan, p.61.
  4. ^ Glen Cadigan, The Legion Companion, TwoMorrows Publishing, 2003; p. 89.
  5. ^ a b Cadigan, p. 89.
  6. ^ a b Cadigan, p. 90.
  7. ^ An alternate universe version of Tyroc appears, and dies, in Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 2) #300 (June 1983).
  8. ^ Cadigan, p. 111.
  9. ^ "PAUL LEVITZ Talks Legion of Superheroes". Newsarama.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2010.
  10. ^ Superboy #216 (April 1976)
  11. ^ Superboy #218 (July 1976)
  12. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes #265 (July 1980)
  13. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #16 (March 1991)
  14. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #34 (Early November 1992)
  15. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #38 (late December 1992).
  16. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #41 (March 1993)
  17. ^ Legion of Superheroes (vol. 7) #7 (May 2012)