Publisher DC Comics Team affiliations Justice League Partnership Mr. Nebula | Alter ego Dren Keeg Partnerships Mr. Nebula Affiliation Justice League | |
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Created by Keith Giffen (writer)
J. M. DeMatteis (writer) Abilities Cosmic Skis grants space travelling and flight.
Cosmic Armor grants surviving on the vacuum of space, super strength, and super endurance.
Locating devices. First appearance Justice League America #36 (March, 1990) Creators Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis Similar Big Sir, Multi‑Man, G'nort, Major Disaster, Mystek | ||
The Scarlet Skier (real name Dren Keeg) is a DC Comics supervillain/superhero. Created by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis during their comedy Justice League period, he first appeared in Justice League America #36 (1990).
The Scarlet Skier is the herald for a cosmic being known as Mr. Nebula. He is a parody of the classic Marvel Comics character the Silver Surfer who is a herald for a cosmic being known as Galactus. The Skier doesn't wish to be a herald. His attempts to escape are sometimes thwarted by Mr. Nebula, who is simply too naive to understand the Skier.
The Scarlet Skier is the archenemy of G'nort, a comically incompetent Green Lantern. Later the Scarlet Skier becomes stranded on Earth and becomes a friend of G'nort. The Skier reforms his evil ways and joins the Justice League Antarctica.
Fictional character biography
The Skier is imprisoned in a L.E.G.I.O.N. prison in the planet Cairn, but is granted conditional freedom. Vril Dox thinks that the Scarlet Skier was only being used, and bears little responsibility for his crimes. His days as cosmic locater are ended, but now he must seek revenge on the person who imprisoned him, G'nort. The Scarlet Skier tracks G'nort, who at that moment was in the Justice League of America quarters in New York. The Skier crashlands instead, ruining his mode of transport.
G'nort finds the Skier and a fight breaks out. The Skier is smashed through the ground into subway. The Skier wanders the tunnels, wreaking havoc. He considers the idea of committing suicide to save his honor, and goes to the top of one of the Twin Towers in order to jump off. When he jumps, he is saved by G'nort. The Scarlet Skier, completely depressed, says that his life is a sort of "cosmic disaster" and that he is a pathetic supervillain. G'Nort seems to be the only one who understands him. They try to repair the skis, but instead they make the gear blow up.
The Skier is also on hand when Mr. Nebula decides to reform Earth. This is prevented when the Martian Manhunter shows Nebula Las Vegas. Nebula loves the town and is fooled into thinking Earth is rebuilding itself for him. He leaves voluntarily.
The Skier would later encounter the Will Payton Starman in issue #35 of his series. This was created by Keith Giffen, Peter David, Jason Pearson and Bruce Patterson. For transgressions against Mr. Nebula, Skier ends the adventure with a new costume he finds even more unpleasant than before.