Who Is Lobo? Here’s What You Need To Know About the DC Comics Anti-Hero

Since James Gunn and Peter Safran have been installed as co-CEOs of DC Studios, they’ve been shaking things up quite a bit. One character who could arise from all these recent changes is Lobo. The direction Gunn and Safran currently headed in seems to involve retiring many of the heroes and actors from the previous run. One of their first moves was to scrap Wonder Woman 3, which was in active development with Patty Jenkins returning to direct Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Next, Henry Cavill announced that he was stepping down as Superman, as the co-CEOs are seeking to replace him with a younger actor.

Meanwhile, Black Adam 2 will not be a part of DC’s near future, and Ben Affleck may give up his Batman cape for a director’s chair. Another character whose future is uncertain is Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa. After facing numerous delays, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to premiere in December 2023. However, after the sequel hits screens, the hero may also be retired along with the majority of DC’s former Justice League. Though Gunn may be done with Aquaman, DC might not be done with Momoa.

Reports surfaced shortly after Gunn’s and Safran’s hiring that they were considering having Momoa play a different DC character: Lobo. The gritty anti-hero bounty hunter bears a striking resemblance to Momoa, and his character is in line with Gunn’s love of scoundrels and underdogs. Momoa himself responded to the rumors, saying he would be interested in playing Lobo. Since not everyone will be familiar with Momoa’s potential new role, here’s everything you need to know about Lobo in DC Comics.

Who is Lobo?

In DC Comics, Lobo belongs to an alien species known as Czarnians. Humanoid in appearance, the Czarnians are characterized by their red eyes and pasty-pale skin. Despite boasting superhuman strength and durability, they were known as a largely peaceful race until Lobo came along. Not much is known about Lobo’s early history—just that he was an exceptionally strong and terribly violent Czarnian. His evil quality was sensed almost immediately upon birth, hence the name “Lobo,” which translates from the Khund dialect to “one who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it.”

Living up to his name, Lobo led the genocide of his own people, for no real reason other than his thirst for violence. His people were driven into virtual extinction when he unleashed a plague of scorpion-like creatures on them. After wiping out all of the Czarnians, Lobo took off and began traveling the galaxies as a bounty hunter and mercenary. He proved to be one of the greatest bounty hunters, and (surprisingly) held himself to a strict code of honor, vowing not to break the terms of agreement for his bounties.

Throughout his travels, Lobo battled many prominent superheroes, including Superman, Guy Gardener, Hal Jordan, Zatara, and Zatanna. From time to time, Lobo also proved he had some humanity in him, as he took a liking to a group of space dolphins. Lobo protected and fed the space dolphins and exacted gruesome revenge on anyone who dared to mess with them. Despite his gruesome history, Lobo has become more of an anti-hero in recent iterations, and has even made for a tolerable teammate within L.E.G.I.O.N., the R.E.B.E.L.S., and Young Justice.

What are Lobo’s powers?

As previously mentioned, Lobo bears superhuman strength and durability, but one of his most useful powers is his healing factor. Lobo can regenerate his entire body from so much as a single cell. As a result, Lobo learned that he could create clones of himself using a single drop of blood from his body. He can literally make millions of himself if he chooses to do so, making him a particularly dangerous threat. Lobo’s regenerative power also means that he can never die. Additionally, he boasts sharp intellect, superhero stamina, and keen tracking abilities which make him a very effective bounty hunter.

(featured image: DC Comics)