Highfather has been adapted into various media outside comics, primarily in association with the New Gods. Mitchell Ryan, Mark Rolston, and Richard Chamberlain have voiced the character in animation.
Publication history
Highfather was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in The New Gods #1 (March 1971).[3]
The character played a significant role in The Great Darkness Saga, a 1982 storyline in Legion of Super-Heroes. In the story, he is reborn in the 31st century and helps the Legion battle Darkseid.[4]
Fictional character history
Izaya is a warrior and the leader of New Genesis. After Steppenwolf murders his wife Avia, Izaya participates in the war against Apokolips before enacting a peace treaty with them. To this end, he trades his son Scott Free to Apokolips and adopts Darkseid's son Orion.[5][6] Scott later escapes Apokolips, breaking the treaty.
Highfather often consults the Source when making his decisions. Though never stated explicitly in the New Gods series, the Source is implied to be some form of higher power (perhaps even God), making Izaya a spiritual as well as the political leader of his people. As ruler of New Genesis, he is kind, compassionate, and caring but ready to defend it from any threat.
In Genesis, Highfather is killed in battle with Ares and succeeded by Takion.[7] His spirit joins the Quintessence, a council of cosmic entities.
In The New 52 continuity reboot, Izaya is resurrected and depicted as the founder of New Genesis. Additionally, he is morally ambiguous rather than purely good, and Infinity-Man is the embodiment of his conscience.[1][8]
Powers and abilities
As a New God, Highfather is nigh-immortal and possesses superhuman physical abilities. He can channel the Source via his staff and once wielded the Life Equation, which enabled him to manipulate reality.
Other versions
An alternate universe variant of Highfather appears in JLA: The Nail.
Highfather appears in the fourth season of Young Justice, voiced by Mark Rolston.[9] This version is named Iyaza and his wife Avia is still alive.
Film
An alternate universe variant of Highfather appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Richard Chamberlain.[9] This version wed Bekka to Orion to bring Apokolips and New Genesis together, subsequently betraying Darkseid and killing him and his elite, including Orion. This action causes Bekka to leave for Earth.
^Sacks, Jason; Dallas, Keith (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 39. ISBN978-1605490564.
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 144. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 188. ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
^ abc"Highfather Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 5, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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