ATROCITUS	BIOGRAPHY
	Created by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

Atrocitus; Art by Shane Davis

PERSONAL DATA

Occupation: Red Lantern
Homeworld: Ryut
Space Sector: 666
Marital Status: Widower
Known Relatives: Unnamed wife and child (deceased); Trakka (daughter; deceased)
Base of Operation: The planet Ysmault
Group Affiliation(s): The Five Inversions, Empire of Tears, Red Lantern Corps
Gender: Male
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: None
First Appearance: Cameo: Green Lantern Vol. 4 #25 (January 2008): "Birth of the Black Lantern"
Actual appearance: Green Lantern Vol. 4 #28 (April 2008): "Sinestro Corps Epilogue: The Alpha-Lanterns, Part III"
Creators: Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver

OVERVIEW

Atrocitus is the leader of the Red Lantern Corps, the corps driven by rage. After thousands of years of imprisonment on the planet Ysmault, Atrocitus broke free and started the chain of events that would bring about the prophesized 'Blackest Night' event. He was recaptured by Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Sinestro, but managed to free himself in recent times and use ancient blood magic to tap into the emotional spectrum, utilizing the power of rage and creating a red power ring.

HISTORY

Atrocitus is one of five survivors after the Manhunters swept through Space Sector 666, eliminating virtually all life, including his family. Seeking revenge on the Manhunters' creators, the Guardians of the Universe, the survivors became a terrorist group known as the Five Inversions. Once defeated, the Five Inversions were nailed to crucifixes to be forever imprisoned on their tombworld of Ysmault.

Millennia later, a crashed Ungaran spacecraft brought Green Lantern Abin Sur of Ungara from his native sector 2814. Qull of the Five Inversions planted the seeds of fear in Abin Sur's mind. The Green Lantern returned to Ysmault to learn more of the prophecy of the Blackest Night, in an attempt to protect the universe from the coming threat. -Green Lantern Vol. 4 #29

The Green Lantern took Atrocitus to Earth, said to be the birthplace of the black. They travelled by way of a spaceship, as one of the prophecies foretold of Abin Sur's power ring failing at a critical moment. A flash of fear was Abin Sur's undoing. Atrocitus was able to free himself from his restraints and mortally wound Abin Sur. While Atrocitus escaped, Abin Sur lost his life and passed his power ring onto a worthy successor, Hal Jordan of Earth. - Green Lantern Vol. 4 #30

Far from the site of the wreckage, Atrocitus landed in a lake near Big Bear California. Blood sacrifices showed Atrocitus the identity of the person that would give birth to the black, William Hand. Devising a “cosmic divining rod” Atrocitus was able to make his way to Coast City and William Hand. Though he was able to find Hand, Atrocitus was unable to succeed in bringing forth the prophecy. The cosmic divining rod was dropped in his conflict with the Green Lanterns, and taken by William Hand, later to become the villain known as Black Hand. - Green Lantern Vol. 4 #31- #35

Recaptured, Atrocitus was brought back to Ysmault by Sinestro whereupon the Five Inversions offered another prophecy. They told Sinestro of his homeworld Korugar in chaos. Outwardly, Sinestro claimed he was not fearful of their prophecy coming to pass. Atrocitus swore he would unleash his rage on the Green Lantern. -Green Lantern Vol. 4 #35

Years later, Atrocitus was able to free himself from his crucifix. Hal Jordan, Sinestro and the Green Lantern Corps had gone through many changes. Among them, Sinestro had been expelled from the Green Lanterns and had created his own Corps wielding yellow power rings. This had been the precursor to the so-called War of Light. Atrocitus used ancient blood magic to tap into the emotional spectrum, utilizing the power of rage. He sacrificed Qull of the Five Inversions, then his other three remaining comrades. The crystallized blood of the Five Inversions formed a red power ring. Atrocitus was the first of the Red Lanterns.

There would be many more Red Lanterns. Across the universe, beings that felt great rage due to losses they had suffered were prime targets for the Red Lantern rings. Thus far, the Red Lanterns have all been victims of the Sinestro Corps. The uncontrollable rage has left the Red Lanterns almost mindless, and therefore easier for Atrocitus to lead. - Green Lantern Vol. 4 #28, Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns #1

Atrocitus led the Red Lantern Corps against the Sinestro Corps and the Green Lantern Corps to capture Sinestro and some of his Corps. They were taken to Ysmault to be used for blood sacrifices. When Green Lantern Hal Jordan went to Ysmault to apprehend Sinestro, the Red Lanterns attacked. Jordan was unable to control his rage at Sinestro and was briefly taken by the power of the red ring. Blue Lantern Saint Walker placed his blue ring on Jordan's finger which freed the Green Lantern from the influence of the red ring. Sinestro was able to escape with the help of his Corps. His power defeated by the light of the blue ring, Atrocitus now searches for the homeworld of the Blue Lantern Corps. - Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns #1, Green Lantern Vol. 4 #36- #39

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Atrocitus possesses a Red Lantern power ring and power battery. He also has great strength, likely an attribute of his species and the ability to perform blood magic, a form of reading the future or the past.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Atrocitus in chronological order click here