Forever People#Original members

The protagonists of the series are a group of young New Gods from New Genesis who were on a mission to oppose Darkseid on Earth, and talked, dressed, and acted much like the flower children of the 1960s.{{cite book|last = Daniels|first = Les|author-link = Les Daniels|title = DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes|chapter= The Fourth World New Gods on Newsprint|publisher = Bulfinch Press|year = 1995|location= New York, New York|page = 164|isbn = 0821220764|quote= Immigrants from New Genesis to Earth, these heroes were Kirby's version of hippies.}} In addition to the individual abilities and equipment of the members, the group can join together using the technology of a Mother Box to summon the powerful hero Infinity-Man.{{Citation|last= Greenberger|first= Robert|author-link= Robert Greenberger|contribution = Forever People|editor-last= Dougall|editor-first= Alastair|title= The DC Comics Encyclopedia|page= 130|publisher= Dorling Kindersley|year= 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn = 978-0-7566-4119-1|oclc = 213309017}} The group travels by use of their Super-Cycle.{{cite web|url=http://www.toonopedia.com/foreverp.htm |title=The Forever People |first=Don |last=Markstein |year=2008 |publisher=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240527020429/https://www.webcitation.org/6QpOv3xjF?url=http://www.toonopedia.com/foreverp.htm |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |url-status=live}} The first issue of their title also introduced the Boom Tube, a type of portal used by the New Gods.{{cite book |last1=Sacks |first1=Jason |last2=Dallas |first2=Keith |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490564 |page=38}}

Their own title, The Forever People, debuted in 1971 and lasted 11 issues.{{cite book |last1=McAvennie |first1=Michael |title=DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle |last2=Dolan |first2=Hannah, ed. |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-7566-6742-9 |location=London, United Kingdom |page=145 |chapter=1970s |quote=As the writer, artist, and editor of the Fourth World family of interlocking titles, each of which possessed its own distinct tone and theme, Jack Kirby cemented his legacy as a pioneer of grand-scale storytelling.}}{{gcdb series|id= 1977|title= Forever People}} They mainly fought Darkseid's forces, such as Glorious Godfrey in issue #3.{{cite comic | writer= Kirby, Jack | penciller= Kirby, Jack | inker= Colletta, Vince | story= Life vs. Anti-Life! | title= The Forever People | issue= #3 | date= June-July 1971}} Issues #9 and 10 guest-starred Deadman; according to writer/artist Jack Kirby's assistant Mark Evanier: "We were ordered to put Deadman into New Gods, but we slipped him into Forever People instead, where he was a little less obtrusive. Jack didn't like the character and didn't want to do it. He didn't feel he should be doing someone else's character. ... He doesn't want to trample on someone else's vision. Carmine said the character hadn't sold and he wanted the Kirby touch on it."{{cite news | author = Kraft, David Anthony | author2 = Slifer, Roger | author-link = David Anthony Kraft | author-link2 = Roger Slifer | date = April 1983 | title = Mark Evanier | work = Comics Interview | issue = 2 | pages = 23–34 | publisher = Fictioneer Books}} The series ended on a cliffhanger, with the Forever People stranded on Adon.{{cite comic | writer= Kirby, Jack | penciller= Kirby, Jack | inker= Royer, Mike | story= Devilance the Pursuer | title= The Forever People | issue= #11 | date= August-September 1972}}

In a 1986 interview, Kirby recalled that "the Forever People were the wonderful people of the '60s, who I loved. If you'll watch the actions of the Forever People, you'll see the reflection of the '60s in their attitudes,

in the backgrounds, in their clothes. You'll see the '60s. I felt I would leave a record of the '60s in their adventures."{{cite web | url=https://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/effect/2012/08/06/19867-kirby-interview/ | title=1986/7 Jack Kirby Interview | date=6 August 2012}}

In 1988, a six-issue Forever People limited series by writer J. M. DeMatteis and artist Paris Cullins was published,{{gcdb series|id= 3591|title= Forever People vol. 2}} showing what happens to the Forever People on Adon. This series reveals that the Forever People were originally humans who were saved from death and brought to New Genesis. They returned to Earth to oppose "the Darkness", a sentient but disembodied force of hopelessness. They were aided by a mysterious being, Maya, who is revealed to be the consciousness of their Mother Box.

In Death of the New Gods, the origin of the Forever People was retconned, and it is hinted that the five were to have been the first of the next evolution of the New Gods — godlings becoming more than the sum of their parts. Furthermore, the group are killed by Infinity-Man.

In the Final Crisis Sketchbook, the Forever People (along with other members of the New Gods) are given updated looks, which Grant Morrison calls "more gothic art school student than flower power". In the event itself, Japan's pop culture team, the Super Young Team, are revealed to be the Fifth World incarnation of the Forever People.{{cite web |url= http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/11/dcs-forever-people-make-their-new-52-debut|title= DC's Forever People Make Their New 52 Debut|first= Jesse|last= Schedeen|date= March 11, 2014|website= IGN|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141217204646/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/11/dcs-forever-people-make-their-new-52-debut|archive-date= December 17, 2014|url-status=live|quote= The concept was most recently explored by Grant Morrison in Final Crisis, who created the colorful Japanese group The Super Young Team to serve as the Forever People of the new Fifth World.}}

The Forever People appear in The New 52 series Infinity Man and the Forever People.{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/infinity-man-forever-people-giffen-didio-new-gods-fourth-world-video-jack-kirby/ |title=O.M.A.C. Team of Keith Giffen and Dan DiDio Reunite for Infinity Man and the Forever People |first=Andy |last=Khouri |date=March 11, 2014 |publisher=ComicsAlliance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312043258/http://comicsalliance.com/infinity-man-forever-people-giffen-didio-new-gods-fourth-world-video-jack-kirby/ |archive-date=March 12, 2014 |url-status=dead}} Serifan is depicted as female and Vykin's sister.{{cite news |url= http://www.newsarama.com/20745-keith-giffen-talks-forever-people-didio-reunion-tries-to-break-the-internet.html|title= Keith Giffen Talks Forever People, DiDio Reunion, Tries to Break the Internet|date= April 2, 2014|work= Newsarama|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140629033934/http://www.newsarama.com/20745-keith-giffen-talks-forever-people-didio-reunion-tries-to-break-the-internet.html|archive-date=June 29, 2014 |url-status=live}}{{gcdb series|id= 81245|title= Infinity Man and the Forever People}}{{cite magazine |url= https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-12/16/dc-cancellations|title= DC Comics cancels half its line from March 2015|first= Matt|last= Kamen|date= December 16, 2014|magazine= Wired UK|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150908083204/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-12/16/dc-cancellations|archive-date= September 8, 2015|url-status=live}}

Image:ForeverPeople9.jpg

During the original Kirby run, Beautiful Dreamer had been linked romantically to Mark Moonrider, although outside of hand-holding, the exact nature of their relationship was never directly specified. In the 1988 miniseries, it was established that Dreamer had been married to Big Bear, and together they had a child, named Maya after the spirit of their old Mother Box. Since then, their marriage and daughter has been voided by a retcon during John Byrne's Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. When last shown, Dreamer was romantically involved with Takion.

In the Elseworlds story Superman & Batman: Generations, Beautiful Dreamer and Superman marry and have two children, Lar-El and Vara. They and Beautiful Dreamer are later killed by Darkseid.

Like all the children of New Genesis, Beautiful Dreamer possesses the advanced physiology of a New God; she is extremely long-lived, has a limited degree of superhuman strength, resistance and reflexes. She is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. She has psionic powers that allow her to create illusions and to scan people's minds to produce familiar images. In addition, she has been able to feel the fluctuations within the Source.

Big Bear had been married to Beautiful Dreamer, and she had been pregnant with their daughter. A shift in time resulted in the marriage never happening and the child never having existed. This traumatized Beautiful Dreamer for a time. In Forever People #7, he was shown to have been responsible for the historical event that led to the legend of King Arthur.{{cite comic|writer= Kirby, Jack|penciller= Kirby, Jack|inker= Royer, Mike|story= I'll Find You in Yesterday!!|title= The Forever People|issue= #7|date= February–March 1972}}

Bear possesses superhuman strength that is further enhanced by a flow of high-density atoms. He is also the pilot of the Super-Cycle and an avid Earth history buff.

During the original Kirby run, Beautiful Dreamer had been linked romantically to Mark Moonrider, although outside of hand-holding, the exact nature of their relationship was never specified. In the 1988 miniseries set on Adon, Mark was shown to have fallen in love with, and later married, one of the natives, Mina. They had three children (Merry, Wendy and Starbright), but when the shift in time caused by the Darkness' actions undid the events which 'evolved' the natives, this marriage never occurred, leaving Mark with only his friends.

In addition to being extremely long-lived, Mark has superhuman strength and reflexes and is resistant to conventional injury. Also, he has a keen mind with good leadership skills and he is well-trained in hand-to-hand combat. He possesses a Megaton Touch that enables him to generate lethal bolts of electricity.

Serifan is the youngest member of the group, as well as the most vulnerable. The Dark saw this and possessed Serifan, using him to conquer Forevertown and plague the Forever People. After the Dark was defeated he returned to his normal self.

Serifan possesses limited telepathic powers, and wields "cosmic cartridges" that serve various purposes when wielded. For example, the cartridges can link Serifan to the Source, create force fields, drain energy, manipulate gravity, modify atomic density, generate intense heat, power vehicles, and stun others. His "Blue Cartridge" can manipulate life force and was used to help Deadman merge with a "Follower", an organic machine designed to act as his physical body.

Throughout the Kirby run, Vykin was referred to as "Vykin the Black". He was the second black superhero to appear in a DC comic book, preceding Kirby's Black Racer by several months. When the Forever People were stranded on Adon, Mark Moonrider thought it would be advantageous to civilize the people of the planet. When Vykin used their Mother Box to do so, it overloaded and was destroyed, killing Vykin in the process, but managing to create Forevertown. When the Dark overtook and reversed the effects of the Mother Box, Vykin was brought back to life. Later, he was reunited on New Genesis with his mother Valkyra, who sacrificed herself to save her lover Orion.

Like all New Gods, Vykin is functionally immortal and all his physical attributes are superhuman. He can manipulate magnetism and is skilled in working with complicated machinery. Vykin has a keen mind and is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. It is Vykin who carries the Forever People's Mother Box, a kind of sentient computer, and is attuned to her frequencies. He is also a language major and a skilled tracker. He is considered "second only to Metron in wisdom".

Infinity-Man is Drax, the older brother of Uxas, and became the Infinity-Man after treachery at the hands of Uxas while attempting to harness the Omega Force for himself. No explanation was given as to why he was involved with the Forever People other than Big Bear's offhanded comment that they have an arrangement with him. The Infinity-Man's powers were never fully cataloged other than having some direct link to the Source, and the suggestion that since he originated from outside our universe, he was not bound by its physical laws. He was shown capable of flight, super-strength, enhanced vision powers, infini-beams, the ability to negate gravity and convert it into a repulsive force, restructuring atoms to pass through solid matter, and redirecting the flight path of bullets.

{{Main|Super Young Team}}

The Super Young Team are the contemporary Fifth World incarnations of the Forever People. Created by writer Grant Morrison in the early "52" stages of their DC Universe Final Crisis storyline, they are influenced by American super-heroes and Japanese pop culture, and were first mentioned in 52 #6. This group recruits Sonny Sumo, a powerful fighter who assisted the original Forever People in the first series.{{cite comic | writer= Kirby, Jack | penciller= Kirby, Jack | inker= Colletta, Vince | story= Sonny Sumo | title= The Forever People | issue= 5 | date= October-November 1971}}

The Un-People, a fusion of the Forever People and Marvel Comics group the Inhumans, appear in the Amalgam Comics one-shot Challengers of the Fantastic.{{cite comic| writer= Kesel, Karl|penciller= Grummett, Tom|inker= Vey, Al|story= Challengers of the Fantastic|title= Challengers of the Fantastic|issue= #1|date= June 1997}}

• The Forever People make a non-speaking appearance in the Justice League episode "Twilight".{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}
• The Forever People appear in Young Justice, with Vykin voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, Big Bear by Bill Fagerbakke, Beautiful Dreamer by Grey DeLisle, and Serifan by Dee Bradley Baker while Mark Moonrider has no dialogue.{{multiref2|{{cite web |title=Vykin Voice - Young Justice (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Young-Justice/Vykin/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.|{{cite web |title=Bear Voice - Young Justice (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Young-Justice/Bear/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.|{{cite web |title=Dreamer Voice - Young Justice (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Young-Justice/Dreamer/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.|{{cite web |title=Serifan Voice - Young Justice (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Young-Justice/Serifan/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.|{{cite web |title=Moon Rider Voice - Young Justice (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Young-Justice/Moon-Rider/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}}

}}

An alternate universe variant of Mark Moonrider makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in a flashback in Justice League: Gods and Monsters.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

The Forever People appear as character summons in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 4, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=IGN}}

The Forever People appear in the Justice League: Gods and Monsters tie-in comic as experiments created by Doctor Psycho.{{Cite web |title=Justice League: Gods and Monsters #1 - Genesis Part One (Issue) |url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/justice-league-gods-and-monsters-1-genesis-part-on/4000-497549/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=Comic Vine |language=en}}

• Jack Kirby's The Forever People collects The Forever People #1–11, 288 pages, October 1999, {{ISBN|978-1563895104}}{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-forever-people|title= Jack Kirby's The Forever People|date= September 1, 1999|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121003091222/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-forever-people|archive-date= October 3, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|url-status=live}}
• Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus
• Volume 1 collects Forever People #1–3, Mister Miracle #1–3, The New Gods #1–3, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133–139, 396 pages, May 2007, {{ISBN|978-1401213442}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 1|date= June 13, 2007|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140724104951/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1|archive-date= July 24, 2014|url-status=live}} December 2011, {{ISBN|978-1401232412}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1-0|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 1 tpb|date= December 7, 2011|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714204457/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-1-0|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}}
• Volume 2 collects Forever People #4–6, Mister Miracle #4–6, The New Gods #4–6, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141–145, 396 pages, August 2007, {{ISBN|978-1401213572}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 2|date= September 5, 2007|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140720181949/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2|archive-date= July 20, 2014|url-status=live}} April 2012, {{ISBN|978-1401234409}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2-0|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 2 tpb|date= April 4, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120524072601/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-2-0|archive-date= May 24, 2012|url-status=live}}
• Volume 3 collects Forever People #7–10, Mister Miracle #7–9, The New Gods #7–10, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #146–148, 396 pages, November 2007, {{ISBN|978-1401214852}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 3|date= November 21, 2007|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714134208/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}} August 2012, {{ISBN|978-1401235352}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3-0|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 3 tpb|date= August 22, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714223229/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-3-0|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}}
• Volume 4 collects Forever People #11; Mister Miracle #10–18; The New Gods #11; "Even Gods Must Die" from The New Gods vol. 2 #6; DC Graphic Novel #4: "The Hunger Dogs"; "On the Road to Armagetto!" (previously unpublished), 424 pages, March 2008, {{ISBN|978-1401215835}} (hardcover);{{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 4|date= March 26, 2008|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140714152041/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|archive-date= July 14, 2014|url-status=live}} December 2012, {{ISBN|978-1401237462}} (paperback){{cite web |url= http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirby%E2%80%99s-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|title= Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 4 tpb|date= December 4, 2012|publisher= DC Comics|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121207083959/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirby%E2%80%99s-fourth-world-omnibus-vol-4|archive-date= December 7, 2012|url-status=live}}

• Jack Kirby bibliography

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://dcuguide.com/w/Forever_People DCU Guide: Forever People]
• [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/character.php?page=appearances&characterid=977 Forever People] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307213151/http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/character.php?page=appearances&characterid=977 |date=2021-03-07 }} at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
• [http://darkmark6.tripod.com/fourthworldind.htm Index to the Earth-1 Fourth World stories]

{{Jack Kirby|state=collapsed}}

{{New Gods|state=collapsed}}

{{The New 52|state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1971 comics debuts

Category:1972 comics endings

Category:1988 comics debuts

Category:1988 comics endings

Category:2014 comics debuts

Category:2015 comics endings

Category:Characters created by Jack Kirby

Category:Comics characters introduced in 1971

Category:DC Comics aliens

Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength

Category:DC Comics extraterrestrial superheroes

Category:DC Comics deities

Category:DC Comics superhero teams

Category:DC Comics titles

Category:Defunct American comics

Category:New Gods of New Genesis