Ibis the Invincible

Superherobox|

caption=Danny Khalifa as Ibis, artist Phil Winslade
publisher=DC Comics
debut= (Amentep)
"Whiz Comics" #2, (February 1940)
(Khalifa)
"" #1, (January 2007)
creators=(Amentep)
Bill Parker (writer)
Bob Kingett (artist)
(Khalifa)
Tad Williams (writer)
Phil Winslade (artist)
character_name=Ibis the Invincible
real_name= - Prince Amentep
- Danny Khalifa
species = Homo Magi
homeworld =
alliances= (Amentep)
Freedom of Power Treaty
All-Star Squadron
Shazam's Squadron of Justice
aliases=
supports=
powers=Accomplished wizard. |

Ibis the Invincible is a fictional character, a comic book superhero originally published by Fawcett Comics in the 1940s and then by DC Comics beginning in the 1970s. Like many magician superheroes introduced in the Golden Age of Comics, Ibis owes much to the popular comic strip character Mandrake the Magician. A second Ibis, successor of the first, was introduced in 2007.

Publication history

The original Ibis first appeared in "Whiz Comics" #2 (February 1940), and was created by Bill Parker and Bob Kingett. When superheroes declined in popularity in the early 1950s, Ibis and the other Fawcett characters ceased publication. They were later licensed and eventually bought outright by DC Comics in the 1970s. The second Ibis first appeared in "" #1 (January 2007), and was created by Tad Williams and Phil Winslade.

Fictional character biography

Prince Amentep

Ibis began his life as Amentep, a prince of ancient Egypt who was in love with the beautiful Princess Taia of Thebes. As a young man, Amentep had been given the Ibis-stick, a talisman of incredible power, by the Egyptian god Thoth, who empowers the talisman. Amentep's throne was eventually usurped by a cruel magician known as the Black Pharaoh, who shot Taia with a poisoned arrow. Using his Ibis-stick, Amentep placed his beloved in suspended animation to allow her to heal. He soon cast a similar spell upon himself, hoping to be present when Taia revived.

Centuries later, the mummy of Amentep returned to life in an American museum in 1940 (this was later revealed to be the work of the wizard Shazam). Now called "Ibis," Amentep set out in search of his beloved, eventually finding her at another museum. [Cite comic | Writer = | Artist = | Story = | Title = Whiz Comics | Volume = 1 | Issue = 2 | Date = March, 1940 | Publisher = Fawcett Comics | Page = 14-20 | Panel = | ID = ] Seeking to adjust to this new world, Ibis used his vast powers to become a crimefighter, operating primarily in Fawcett City.

Ibis could do almost anything with the power of the Ibis-stick: build force-fields around cities, transport himself and others, and even make objects appear out of thin air. Without the wand however, he was powerless and this weakness was frequently exploited by his enemies.

Ibis and Taia next appeared in a Justice League/Justice Society crossovers as members of a team referred to as Shazam's Squadron of Justice. These heroes live in a parallel universe on a world called Earth-S.

After the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" consolidated the multiple Earths, Ibis and Taia were retconned as part of the Golden Age era of the DC Universe with Ibis serving alongside other war-time heroes in the All-Star Squadron. As noted in Starman #40 (March 1998), Ibis tended to operate out of Fawcett City alongside other heroes, including Bulletman, Minute Man, Spy Smasher and the duo of Mr. Scarlet and Pinky.

Ibis was reintroduced in the modern DC Universe in "The Power of Shazam!" #11, in which he is resurrected by Mary Marvel and "Uncle" Dudley in order to save the wizard Shazam from being held captive in Hell by the demoness Blaze. Recently, it was revealed in Zatanna #1, part of the "Seven Soldiers" miniseries, that Ibis and Taia presumably perished along with Doctor Thirteen and Swamp Thing supporting character Timothy Ravenwind at the hands of the shapeless creature known as Gwydion during a seance conducted by Zatanna.

In an odd post-death appearance, Ibis had a cameo in "Infinite Crisis", after winding up back on Earth-S with the other Fawcett superheroes. Also, a modernised version of Ibis recently appeared in "52" #10 as the Egyptian representative in Black Adam's coalition. It has not been shown whether this Ibis is the same character as the previous one.

Danny Khalifa

A new Ibis has been introduced in "The Helmet of Fate: Ibis the Invincible" #1 (Jan, 2007). He is an Egyptian-American kid named Danny Khalifa. Danny is given the nickname "Osama" at school due to the events of 9/11 and becomes the brunt of prejudice and bullying. However, due to being part of an ancient bloodline, Danny is chosen by Amentep (who is clinging to his last shred of spiritual life after his body was killed in Secret Soldiers: Zatanna #1) to be his successor. He inherits the Ibis-stick and is thrust into a conflict between ancient Egyptian gods. As Ibis, Danny prevents the helmet of Doctor Fate from falling into the hands of the dark god Set.

External links

* [http://www.dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=ibis Ibis the Invincible chronology at DCU Guide]
* [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/i/ibis.htm Ibis Biography at International Superheroes]
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/ibis.htm Ibis Biography at Toonopedia]

Footnotes