Origin
Kanjar Ro was a dictator on the planet Dhor in the Antares star system. For years he had been at war with three other dictators, all of whom wanted complete mastery of the whole of Antares. The other dictators were; Hyathis of Alstir, Krom of Mosteel and Sayaar of Llar.
He had risen through Thanagar’s clerical bureaucracy to a position no one specially wanted and looked to have done very well, on Katar Hol money.
Creation
Kanjar Ro was created by writer Gardener Fox and penciler Mike Sekowsky. He made his first appearance in Justice League of America #3 – Slave Ship of Space! on February 1961.
Character Development
Silver Age
He mainly appeared as an enemy of the Justice League of America and Adam Strange throughout the Silver Age.
Post Crisis/Modern Age
Kanjar Ro made his first appearance after Crisis on Infinite Earths in Hawkworld #1 – Predators. He attempts conquering worlds through treachery or force.
Since being brought to Thanagar, he has spent his life studing his conquerors. He knows Thanagarians and Katar Hol than themselves. He knows his politics, their mating habits, their social structures, their story, their arts, their sciences.
Major Story Arcs
Traveling to Earth, Kanjar Ro paralyzed the entire population with his Gamma Metal Gong. He would only release the people of Earth if the Justice League went with him to fight on his side and defeat and capture his three rivals. The JLA duly obliged, but where able to turn the tables and and also defeated Kanjar Ro.
Finding an alternate way to release the people of Earth, the JLA left the four tyrants on a distant planetoid created by Green Lantern where they could do little harm. Kanjar Ro managed to escape this planet and make his way to Rann, where he found a means of giving himself super powers. On this occasion, Adam Strange, Rann’s Earth born protector, teamed up with the JLA to foil Kanjar Ro’s plans.
Over the years Kanjar Ro has been repeatedly defeated by Adam Strange and the Justice League. Finally, leading an army of Adam Strange’s former foes, Kanjar Ro succeeded in conquering the planet Rann. At the same time his old enemy Hyathis had become dictator of Thanagar, and it wasn’t long before a war broke out between the two planets. (For the first time – the Infinite Crisis would see the two planets at war again). Adam Strange became the leader of the Underground forces who battled Kanjar Ro and they were joined by Hawkman and Hawkgirl in their efforts. Eventually Kanjar Ro went to Thanagar to assassinate Hyathis himself, but he was thwarted by Hawkman.
Kanjar Ro was imprisoned on Rann until it was destroyed during the Rann-Thanagar Holy War. Kanjar returned to Dhor and became the planet’s ruler once again. However, a new threat to the planet Dhor was on the horizon. Starro was amassing a legion of Starro drones to take over the Vegan System. Ro offers his assistance to the R.E.B.E.L.S. but Xylon, the Dominator member of the team, refuses to accept Kanjar’s offer. Now, planet Dhor must fend for itself because General Smite, Starro’s second in command is already on his way.
Fortunately, planet Dhor is saved by Adam Strange and Captain Comet. However, Strange came to Dhor’s rescue because Kanjar was in possession of the Gamma Gong, a powerful intergalactic weapon and he didn’t want it falling into Starro’s hands.
Powers and Abilities
He is an acute strategist and relies on advanced alien weaponry. He wields an Energi-Rod it enables him to levitate and communicate through hyper-space.
In other media
TV
DCAU
Kanjar Ro appears in the Justice League episode In Blackest Night. In the episode he appears and testifies at John Stewarts trial. He is voiced by Rene Auberjonois.
Batman:Brave and the Bold
He appears in these episodes: The Rise of the Blue Beetle, The Super Batman of Planet X, Night of the Batmen, and Four star Spectacular. He is voiced by Marc Worden.
Film
Green Lantern: First Flight
Kanjar Ro appears in the animated movie and is voiced by Kurtwood Smith.