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TRIBUNAL
Membership: Unrevealed
Purpose: Unrevealed
Affiliations: Buzz Baxter, Luann Bloom, Elf Agent #334A-W, Richard Kessler, Colonel Lear, Charles Lester, Mutant Force (Burner, Lifter, Peeper, Shocker, Slither), Jack Norriss, Brigadier General Owsley, Perkins, Tom Pritchett
Enemies: Defenders (Doctor Stephen Strange, Hulk (Bruce Banner), Nighthawk, Silver Surfer (Norrin Radd), Sub-Mariner)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed
First Appearance: Defenders I#87 (September, 1980)
History:
(Defenders I#124 (fb) - BTS) - Claiming to be the antibodies of the universe who dwelt outside time itself, the mysterious Tribunal claimed to focus on disease in the cosmic body and eradicate it when possible. The Tribunal was drawn to Earth by a sense of loss, realizing that humankind would be wiped out long before its potential was realized. They created several time agents in the form of elves, believing that elves were crucial to Earth's history, and sent them back in time to the modern age to seek out those who were connected to the Earth's destruction. The elves removed three humans -Tom Pritchett, Charles Lester, and Richard Kessler- from the timeline in order to effect change, though the elves inspired fear and discord wherever they appeared. The Tribunal discovered that the removal of the humans did not affect the Earth's destiny and so returned them, with no memories, to their timeline, though they did learn the Earth's destruction was closely tied to a super human team called the Defenders. The Tribunal decided to pose as a government agency and interview those close to the Defenders to find out more about them.
(Defenders I#87) - The Tribunal interviewed several about the activities of the Defenders. Colonel Lear told of a failed attempt by the National Guard, including Perkins, to apprehend the Hulk. They then listened to Jack Norriss recount the Defenders' battle about his history with the Defenders. They listened to recorded footage of Nighthawk's legal troubles. Buzz Baxter told of his history with Hellcat, after which they put Norriss to sleep for constantly arguing. The Mutant Force (Burner, Lifter, Peeper, Shocker, Slither) told of their failed attempt, alongside Brigadier General Owsley, to apprehend the Hulk. Norriss, who continued to be disruptive, was sent away.
(Defenders I#124 (fb) - BTS) - Their efforts primarily unsuccessful, the Tribunal created a Time-Buoy, #6-C, programming it with a personality and memories that would allow it to grow close to the Defender Nighthawk and record all that was happening in Nighthawk's life. They camouflaged the buoy and named her Luann Bloom. She spent the following months on Earth gathering information.
(Defenders I#115 - BTS) - Elf Agent #334A-W retrieved Time-Buoy #6-C from Earth.
(Defenders I#118) - Elf returned "Luann" to the Tribunal, and they demanded that she report.
(Defenders I#119) - The Tribunal received a report from "Luann" (who continued denying her true purpose) about many of the Defenders' battles. They then rendered "Luann" inert, in case they needed to use her later.
(Defenders I#122) - The Elf retrieved the four primary Defenders (Doctor Stephen Strange, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner) and transported them back to their home dimension.
(Defenders I#123) - The Defenders were brought before the Tribunal, who authorized the Elf to shut "Luann" down again when she verbally lashed out at them. The Elf lead the Defenders through a series of illusions, convincing them they were traveling through time at his will, and he taunted them with misinformation until showing them a vision of a destabilized Earth, claiming they caused it to be that way.
(Defenders I#124) - Doctor Strange, Hulk, Silver Surfer, and Sub-Mariner were brought by the Elf in front of the Tribunal, after being told that they would eventually be responsible for the destruction of life on Earth. Silver Surfer whispered that even Galactus had whispered of the power of the Tribunal at times. Dr. Strange demanded answers, and the Tribunal punished them by briefly wiping the Defenders out of existence, demonstrating their power. The Tribunal claimed to be of one mind and purpose only taking on mortal forms for the convenience of the Defenders, claiming a true view of them would drive the Defenders insane. They claimed to live outside time and described themselves as the cosmic anti-bodies of the universe, wiping away universal disease. The Tribunal explained their mission on Earth, knocking Sub-Mariner to the ground when he tried to attack them. The Tribunal had the Elf shut down Bloom and drag her to the scrap heap. The Tribunal then showed the Defenders a vision of the future, when the Defenders would supposedly be responsible for the deaths of the a ship full of Kamado aliens on Earth.
((New) Defenders I#125) - The Defenders believed the Tribunal, but Strange used the Eye of Agamotto to confirm the truth of it. The Eye confirmed it, nearly overwhelming Strange with the power of the Tribunal, who then continued with their story. After finishing with their explanation of the destruction of Earth, the Tribunal had Strange reveal a truth he had learned with his Eye, that if the four remained together as Defenders, the predicted future was certain. The four heroes agreed to never band together again.
(Incredible Hulk II#370 (fb) - BTS) - Strange purportedly investigated the Tribunal and discovered the entire thing to be "a cosmic hoax."
Comments: Created by Ed Hannigan, Don Perlin, and Pablo Marcos.
See the comments in the Elf With a Gun profile for some postulations on who or what the Tribunal might really be. Mostly they remain a big ole enigma.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Tribunal has no
known connections to
Colonel Lear and Perkins
(Defenders I#87 (fb)) - Survivor of the Viet Nam War, Colonel Lear, of the New Jersey National Guard, oversaw the attempted capture of the Hulk in New Jersey. As the teams moved in, the Hulk transformed to Bruce Banner. Operative Perkins carried sleeping gas, but tripped and woke up Banner, who transformed into Hulk, but Lear still attached a noose to Hulk's foot and the monster was taken up by a helicopter. The Hulk escaped, however, and destroyed the artillery before leaping away.
(Defenders I#87) - Lear reported on this event to the seemingly mysterious government body, the Tribunal.
--Defenders I#87 (Defenders I#87 (fb), 87
images: (without ads)
Defenders I#124, p4, pan4 (main)
Defenders I#87, p5, pan3 (Colonel Lear and Perkins)
Appearances:
Defenders I#87 (September, 1980) - Ed
Hannigan (writer), Don Perlin (penciler), Pablo Marcos (inker), Al Milgrom
(editor)
Defenders I#115 (January, 1983) - JM DeMatteis (writer), Don
Perlin (penciler), Hilary Barta (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#118 (April, 1983) - JM DeMatteis (writer), Don
Perlin (penciler), Mushynsky & Milgrom (inkers), Allen Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#119 (May, 1983) - Steven Grant, JM DeMatteis
(writers), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#122 (August, 1983) - JM DeMatteis (writer), Don
Perlin (penciler), Kim DeMulder (inker), Al Milgrom (editor)
Defenders I#123-125 (September-December, 1983) - JM DeMatteis
(writer), Don Perlin (penciler), Kim DeMulder (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#370 (June, 1990) - Peter David (writer),
Dale Keown (penciler), Bob McLeod (inker), Bobbie Chase (editor)
First Posted: 03/07/2008
Last updated: 02/28/2008
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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