Who the Clix? is a series of articles featuring information on comic book characters that have been made into figures for the popular tabletop game Heroclix. These articles are meant to help Heroclix players learn more about the characters behind their favorite pieces.

Today we look at the Valeronian: Vartox

Appearances in Heroclix: Superman/Wonder Woman

First Appearance: Superman #281

Team Affiliations: N/A

Created By: Cary Bates and Curt Swan

Pre-Crisis

Vartox of Valeron hails from the Sombrero Hat galaxy. He is a friend of Superman and competitor of him for the affections of Lana Lang. Vartox’s wife’s pyschic twin is killed on Earth, and because thet wo are biologically linked, Vartox’s wife also dies. Vartox comes to Earth to avenge her. Superman soon discovers the details and helps Vartox extradite the killer to Valeron. Frank “Killer” Sykes is found guilty and subjected to a treatment where he ages the number of years he has been sentenced.

Valeron is later destroyed and Vartox comes to Earth to assume an alter-ego working at Galaxy Communications where he first meets and falls in love with Lana Lang.

Syreena seeks vengeance against Vartox for his “crime” of bringing her to justice for crimes she committed on Valeron. Syreena appears to transform Lana into a being that can breathe in the atmosphere of Vartox’s adoptive home world. Syreena also makes Vartox believe that an accidental ricochet from his powers turns Lana to stone. In the end, Syreena’s true but misplaced love for Vartox leads to her switching places with Lana and left to endure as a living statue.

Post-Crisis

The women of Valeron are made sterile by a contraceptive bomb which forces Vartox to search for the best female specimen in the universe so that they can mate and repopulate his home-world. Vartox believes Power Girl is this female and comes to Earth attempting to woo her through feats of strength and wit. The two are ultimately united in an attempt to solve Vartox’s wooing gone wrong; after, Vartox invites Power Girl to dinner and she accepts. Vartox explains the situation and Power Girl agrees to help. She enters a chamber that combines her and Vartox’s life forces before beaming the combined energy to Valeron where it impregnates all the men and women on the planet. Vartox is thankful to Power Girl before returning home.

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