Origin
In 48,000 BC, the most heroic member of a unique pre-historic tribe that survived the dangers of their secluded valley through the use of extraordinary super-powers. The warrior who would one day be known as the Immortal Man was the sworn enemy of the terrible barbarian named Vandar Adg, perhaps the most evil man who ever lived. Many times, the young warrior had engaged in battle with Vandar Adg, their struggle never reaching a clear conclusion.
On the day of what was intended to be their final confrontation, fate intervened in the form of a mysterious fireball that exploded above the field of battle. Bathed in the energy from the fireball, Vandar Adg was granted immortality. The young warrior, although not directly affected by the radiation, found himself changed as well. From the very heart of the exploded fireball, the young warrior extracted a glowing jewel, which he would wear from that moment on as an amulet around his neck. He soon discovered that after a fashion, he too had become immortal.
If mortally wounded, this Immortal Man would die like any other man â only to be instantly reborn. It could be as someone else, some one new, sometimes younger, sometimes older, but always someone different and male.
Story Arc
Vandal Savage, as Vandar Adg now called himself, lived for thousands of years becoming the king of ancient Sumer, building pyramids in Egypt and ravaging half the world as Genghis Khan. Throughout history the ever-resurrected Immortal Man remained Vandal’s greatest enemy. In different forms and lives the Immortal Man fought Vandal across the world, trying to rid the world of his evil.
In the latter half of 20th Century, realizing that Vandal Savage’s power was growing too great for him to combat alone, the Immortal Man gathered a group of once famous adventurers to form the organization known as the Forgotten Heroes. During the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, Immortal Man sacrificed himself and using his life energies to save the Earth.
When the Immortal Man was taken captive by Vandal Savage, it was discovered that the Immortal Man, Savage and Resurrection Man all owed their abilities to tektites that had been contained in the meteor that had struck Earth some 50,000 years previously. Immortal Man ultimately sacrificed his life to eradicate the Warp Child’s threat to the world. Immortal Man has not been seen since.
Powers
Immortal Man greatest ability, of course is the power of reincarnation that enables him to return instantly from the dead when his previous body met a violent death.
While the Immortal Man’s physical prowess and hand-to-hand combative abilities vary from body to body, he is always possessed of extraordinary mental abilities due to his ancient heritage. He has the telekinetic ability that allows him to fly and lift huge weights. He has telepathic power which allows him to be aware of events from long distances. Along with these abilities he has pyrokinetic powers so he can fire eye bolts of great strength.