Origin
Raised in a magical society in an alternate dimension, Klarion felt stifled by the rules and regulations of his society, as well as what he perceived as the jealousy of others over his natural magical talent. As a teenager he attacked and almost killed his abusive master and ran away from home, seeking to explore the multiverse.
Creation
Klarion was created by Jack Kirby, making his first appearance in The Demon #7. The character was significantly revamped by Grant Morrison and Frazer Irving. He was rewritten for the New 52 by Ann Nocenti and Trevor McCarthy.
Character Evolution
Bronze Age
In his original appearance, Klarion was a fugitive witchboy from the Beyond Country who had dabbled in witchcraft that would have allowed him to exercise control over his elders. He fled both to escape punishment and to seek new knowledge. This version of the character had a natural human skin tone
Modern Age
In his early Modern Age appearances, Klarion’s history was simply expanded on from the Bronze Age. His parents were described as having been tortured and imprisoned for practicing magic against the wishes of the Elders, and he himself was sentenced to death for trying to help them. This version of the character was unable to be separate from Teekl for long periods of time; it caused his magic to become weak and unfocused. The character’s origin was substantially rewritten in the middle of the Age. Born in Limbo Town, a refuge for the lost pilgrims of Roanoke deep beneath the ground, Klarion was curious and constantly questioned the repression of his upbringing and surroundings. Now a human-Sheeda hybrid like the rest of his people, his skin is naturally a shade of blue. During this Age the character came into possession of a Father Box, a cruciform, a submissionary’s rod, and the Castle Revolving. He was able to turn into the gestalt monster Horigal.
New 52
The New 52 introduced Klarion’s current origin and powers. Klarion once again appears to be from an alternate dimension, one that is probably tied to Earth-2. In this continuity his familiar is dead or absent for long stretches of time, to no apparent ill effect.
Major Story Arcs
The Demon
Klarion approaches Etrigan for protection from the Elders, and later tries to control him, for which Etrigan banishes him to a mystical prison, the Beyond Region. He escapes his banishment and seeks revenge on Jason Blood by creating a spirit double that will destroy Blood and take his life for its own. Though his doppelgänger briefly succeeds in defeating Etrigan, he returns and Klarion is banished again.
In the Claws of Demons
Escaping once again, Klarion approaches the leader of the Delphi Institute, and offers magical assistance to allow Pound to walk again, all as part of a scheme to lure Etrigan into the open to seek revenge. When Etrigan and Wonder Woman travel to an alternate dimension to rescue Etta Candy, who is the sacrifice in Klarion’s black mass, Klarion snaps the bond between Etrigan and Randu Singh in an effort to trap him. When Etrigan escapes Klarion enslaves him, and directs him against Wonder Woman. Etrigan resists and attacks Klarion, who quickly vanishes, undoing his spells as he goes.
Trial
Klarion returns to Gotham and insinuates himself into the life of the DA Richard Jaynes. He impersonates the man to take over the trial of Singh and Glenda Mark, who have been accused of Jason Blood’s murder. He uses his powers to force the judge to immediately convict the pair and sentence them to death. He flees when Blood arrives and derails the trial, and returns to find that Teekl has killed Jaynes’ wife. He allows her to also kill Jaynes, and the pair flee.
Apocalypse Now
Klarion travels to Blood’s apartment, where Harry Matthews is entrapped in a pillow after his time in Hell. Klarion offers to help Matthews recover his soul and get revenge on Etrigan, who allowed him to be captured by Belial. He rescues Tenzin Wyatt from Arkham Asylum and draws C’th the Undying up from under the sea. He kidnaps Singh and Mark and travels to a nearby military base to intercept Etrigan and Lobo. He and his team fight Etrigan, and he forces Jason Blood to emerge and tortures him. Distracted, he is knocked unconscious by Glenda Mark. He escapes in the confusion and steals C’th’s weapon, attempting to use it to curse Etrigan and Lobo. His spell is hijacked by Matthews who uses it to teleport away a detonating atomic bomb. Klarion flees in the aftermath
War of the Gods
Transporting himself to Themyscira in the hopes of causing trouble, Klarion sends the soul of Wonder Woman to the Region Beyond, inadvertently assisting Etrigan, who is trapped there.
Sins of Youth
Klarion is induced by the Agenda, lead by Contessa, to incite chaos in the superhuman community, and thus turn the public against them. He attends a rally being lead by Young Justice and casts a spell turning the teenage heroes into adults, and the adult heroes into children. He also transforms several villains into children, and sets them loose. His familiar is kidnapped by Secret and Deadman, who possesses her, which causes Klarion to grow increasingly unfocused. He is forced by Contessa to relocate his villains to Alaska to defend their headquarters. Teekl is held hostage until Klarion returns the heroes to their proper ages, which he agrees to until a cloned version of himself who has been aged to adulthood attacks. He is defeated by his adult self until Teekl returns to him, at which point he and several of the heroes incapacitate him. Klarion destroys his adult self, and reluctantly agrees to undo his spell before vanishing.
Seven Soldiers of Victory
Klarion escapes his town when it comes under attack by a Sheeda spine-rider. He is pursued by the Horigal, which drives him into the arms of Ebeneezer Badde, who shows him the Father Box, which Klarion takes. Badde attempts to sell Klarion into slavery, which he escapes with the help of Leviathan, a monster composed of children. He travels into the subway system, and thence to the surface world, which he calls “Blue Rafters.” There, Klarion meets Melmoth and his child gang, the Deviants. Joining them he helps steal a subterranean drill. Later, he discovers that Melmoth intends to enslave all of the children, and break into Limbo Town. He returns home to warn them, and is nearly burned at the stake before Melmoth invades. The gravely injured Submissionary Judah names Klarion his successor, teaching him how to transform into the monstrous Horigal, allowing Klarion to drive Melmoth back. Returning to the surface as the Harrowing begins, he steals Misty Kilgore’s half of the fatherbox and sneaks into Castle Revolving. Using his necromancy magic he takes control of Frankenstein and forces him to pilot the time-dreadnought back to Sheeda-Side, becoming King of the Sheeda. From there, it is implied he eventually travels back to begin engaging in his known encounters with heroes.
Infinite Crisis
During the Infinite Crisis, Klarion is among the magic users who gather at Stonehenge to summon the Spectre. Later, he fights in the battle in Metropolis against the convicts released by the Secret Society.
Robin
While they are wandering through Gotham City, Teekl runs away from Klarion, having sensed dark magick in the area. Searching for him, Klarion solicits the help of Robin, and together they discover that fellow Limbo Town native Uriah is kidnapping familiars to create a Judgement Beast, a chimera made of familiars. In an effort to free Teekl, Klarion transforms himself and Teekl into the Horigal, but remains trapped in the Beast. Robin is able to free him, and Klarion promises to return the animals and Uriah to their rightful homes.
Countdown
Travelling to a market in China, Klarion encounters Mary Marvel. He helps her repel an attack by another sorcerer, and requests a fraction of her power as payment. He attacks her in an effort to take her power for himself, but Mary easily defeats him and leaves.
Brightest Day
Klarion is possessed by a portion of the Starheart and driven mad. He rampages through an urban area, causing a great deal of damage. He is stopped by Donna Troy and Jade.
Sorcerer Kings
Klarion becomes involved in a rising magical threat, and accompanies Batman, Detective Chimp, and Doctor Occult along the witch’s road. His future self is discovered to be a member of the Justice League in an alternate future where magic dominates. He helps the heroes prevent this world from ever coming to be.
Klarion
Travelling through the multiverse, Klarion encounters Beelzebub, who offers him a ride and drops him off in New York. There, he encounters several other mystical individuals and takes up residence at the Moody Museum, where the head of the coven, Piper, seeks to help him learn about and control his magic. He soon becomes embroiled in the schemes of Coal, a mysterious villain who is introducing addictive technology onto the city streets. He ingests a form of future technology to enhance his powers and confronts Coal, and the two fight. Klarion easily defeats Coal by stealing his techno-magic. Later, he rejoins the coven and together they defeat Gargora, who has followed Klarion into this reality.
Rogue Targets
Klarion joins the STAR Labs team known as The Elite, and accompanies them in their efforts to capture Superboy. He and his team confront Superboy in the Teen Titans’ hideout, where they are easily defeated by Superboy. During the breakout at the MAW he helps secure the perimeter.
Alternate Versions
Flashpoint
In the Flashpoint alternate timeline Klarion is involved in an unknown incident involving Shade the Changing Man that results in Klarion’s death.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Klarion appears in this spinoff of the television series of the same name. He impersonates Cain, turns Abel into a tree, and trashes the The House of Mystery in revenge for them not giving him a treat on Halloween.
Injustice: Gods Among Us
Klarion appears as a member of the magical resistance in this comic book adaptation of the video game of the same name. He is executed by Sinestro.
Powers and Abilities
Klarion is a sorcerer of great natural ability who is able to wield magic to a nearly unlimited variety of effects, including energy projection and absorption, mind control, necromancy, shapeshifting, telekinesis, teleportation, and flight. He possesses an innate psychic bond with his familiar and is able to see through her eyes and transform her into a were-cat. He is very intelligent, with particular knowledge of the occult and sorcery. He is a skilled deceiver. He has no physical or combat skills, and is reliant on magic for self-defence.
Other Media
Television
The New Batman Adventures
Klarion appears as the primary antagonist in the episode “The Demon Within.” He resembles his first appearances in comics. He is voiced by Stephen Wolfe Smith.
Cartoon Monsoon
Klarion appears as an antagonist in “Trial of the Crystal Wand Part 1 & 2”. His voice actor is Tara Strong.
Young Justice
Klarion appears as a recurring antagonist and member of the Light, making his first appearance in “Independence Day.” This version of the character is a Lord of Chaos who is both more powerful and more villainous than his comic book counterpart; he requires Teekl to keep him tethered to this plane. He is voiced by Thom Adcox-Hernandez.
Justice League Action
Klarion appears as the main antagonist in the episode “Trick or Threat.” He is voiced by Noel Fisher.
Video Games
DC Universe Online
Klarion appears in the “Witching Hour” Halloween event as the source of chaotic magic that is interrupting the Halloween festivities in Gotham.
Young Justice: Legacy
The version of the character introduced in the television series appears as a major antagonist in this video game. Thom Adcox-Hernandez reprises the role.