10 Things You Need to Know About the DCU’s Lobo

[[{“value”:”

Superhero fans have been eagerly awaiting details on James Gunn’s DC Universe, the reboot of the failed DC Extended Universe (DCEU). And over the last couple of weeks, we’ve gotten plenty. Just before the holidays, the trailer for the highly anticipated Superman reboot, Superman: Legacy, finally dropped, garnering an impressive amount of views. Then a few days after that, it was announced that Jason Momoa would appear in the DC Universe, making him the only star to survive the destruction of the DCEU.

Interestingly, Momoa won’t be returning as Aquaman. He will actually be playing the DC Comics character Lobo in the 2026 film, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which stars Milly Alcock as the titular character. Unless you’re an avid comic book fan, you’re probably wondering: who the heck is Lobo? What are his powers? Here are ten things to know about Lobo, some of which may appear in the Supergirl movie.

Lobo was created by comic book writers Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen. The character first appeared in the 1983 issue, Omega Men #3, and was introduced as a series regular and a villain. At that time, Lobo was a Velorpian whose race had been exterminated by another alien race.

The original iteration of this character wasn’t very interesting. Lobo failed to gain traction with both audiences and writers, and he fell by the wayside for much of the 1980s.

9

Lobo Is the Last of His Alien Species

Lobo received a major refresh in the early 1990s. Comic book writer Alan Grant retconned Lobo’s origins, changing his alien species from Velorpian to Czarnian. Similar to the original story, Lobo is the last of his kind. But in this version, it was Lobo himself who exterminated his race, not another alien species, killing most of his fellow Czarnians with a scorpion-like creature. This has since become Lobo’s definitive origin story and will likely be what we see in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Lobo’s appearance was also revamped to go along with his new origins. Artist Simon Bisley infused his own biker lifestyle into the character’s redesign, ditching that purple mop for a heavy metal mane of black hair — the sort of hairstyle that Slash from Guns N’ Roses would be proud of. This Lobo had a more rugged and rebellious look. Lobo’s new design helped the character surge in popularity and has kept him in comic book panels ever since. We can see why Gunn and company cast Momoa in this role. Doesn’t he seem like the perfect choice for Lobo with his rugged appearance, bulky physique, and flowing locks?

8

Lobo’s Powers and Abilities

Most comic book characters possess superhuman powers, and Lobo is no exception. However, the limit and breadth of those powers varies greatly, based on that particular comic book writer’s artistic interpretation. Sometimes, he’s hardly stronger than a human. But in most cases, Lobo is depicted with superhuman strength that’s comparable to Superman’s. He also possesses superhuman durability and accelerated healing, which makes him immune to aging and disease.

Between that and his permanent ban from the afterlife, Lobo is essentially immortal. He can also survive in the vacuum of space, not that it matters given his apparent immortality. As the last Czarnian, it’s unclear whether Lobo’s powers are common for his race or unique to him. Something tells us that Momoa’s take on this character will fall on the stronger end of the Lobo spectrum.

7

Lobo Is an Anti-Hero

Although Lobo was originally introduced as a villain, he’s become more of an anti-hero in recent years. He does, however, possess some villainous traits. Lobo enjoys killing and mindless violence. Arrogant and self-centered, he focuses mostly on his own pleasures. Despite all of this, he does follow a strict personal code of honor and will rarely violate the terms of an agreement.

Lobo is such an anti-hero that he doesn’t even have a place in DC’s afterlife. In one comic book storyline, Lobo dies and goes to Hell. But when he proves to be too much for the demons, he’s instead sent to Heaven, where he wreaks havoc and receives a permanent ban from the afterlife.

Some media reports are claiming that Jason Momoa is playing a villain in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Will Lobo be Supergirl’s foe? Given his nature and comic book past, he can certainly play the part of a villain. Or will Lobo be more of a supporting character and an anti-hero in this movie? We’ll have to wait and see.

6

What Lobo’s Name Means

You might be wondering, what kind of name is Lobo anyway? Well, now that we know how much this character loves violence, the translation of his name will make a little more sense.

In the Czarnian tongue, the name Lobo roughly translates to “he who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it”. Well, that pretty much sums him up, doesn’t it?

5

Lobo Is a Mercenary and Bounty Hunter

Given his love for violence and bloodshed, it’s no surprise that Lobo works as an interstellar mercenary and bounty hunter. He’s like the biker version of Boba Fett from Star Wars, traveling the galaxy in search of contracts and hitjobs.

As a mercenary, Lobo is a formidable opponent with expertise in multiple forms of armed and unarmed combat. He also possesses genius-level intellect in matters of destruction. Lobo can create complex pathogens and viruses, as well as their corresponding antidotes. Per his code, Lobo will honor and fulfill a contract no matter what, even if it means risking personal injury. Unless, of course, he’s offered a counter-contract for greater payment.

4

Lobo’s Favorite Weapon Is His Chained Hook

Many comic book characters come with a powerful weapon. Captain America has his shield, Wolverine has his adamantium claws, Thor has his godly hammer, Mjolnir, and Lobo — he has a chained hook. This weapon is exactly like it sounds. It’s a large gutting hook connected to a titanium alloy chain that’s kept wrapped around Lobo’s right wrist.

Aside from using it as a weapon, Lobo also uses his chained hook to snare his opponents or drag them behind his bike. Of all the weapons in his arsenal, this is Lobo’s absolute favorite and has become his signature weapon in the comics. It’s highly likely that we’ll see Lobo’s chained hook in action, rounding up opponents and dragging them on his bike, in Supergirl.

3

Lobo Has a Bulldog Named “Dawg”… Sort Of

OK, enough about Lobo. What about his allies? Does a guy like this even have any? Well, as a matter of fact, he does. One of Lobo’s most well-known allies is the appropriately named Dawg. Although he resembles a bulldog, Dawg is actually an alien canine of unknown origin. He typically wears an iron cross dog collar and a band-aid on his face.

Technically, Lobo doesn’t own Dawg; this mutt just started following him around one day, forcing his companionship upon the bounty hunter. Lobo tolerates the canine’s presence, though he has little patience for Dawg and denies any ownership of him whenever the mutt gets into trouble. Like Lobo, Dawg can survive in the vacuum of space and has enhanced durability. It’s unclear whether Dawg will appear in the Supergirl film. However, given Krypto’s appearance in the Superman trailer, it’s definitely possible that we’ll get another super-powered dog somewhere in Gunn’s DC Universe.

2

One of His Closest Friends Is Green Lantern Guy Gardner

Another one of Lobo’s closest allies is Green Lantern, Guy Gardner. Does that name sound familiar? It should. There’s been a lot of attention on Guy Gardner following his recent appearance in the Superman: Legacy trailer, where he’s played by Nathan Fillion.

Guy Gardner is DC’s third Green Lantern after Alan Scott and the most famous Green Lantern of all, Hal Jordan. In fact, he was originally the back-up Green Lantern for Hal Jordan in the comics. Gardner’s presence in Superman: Legacy makes it very possible that we’ll see him and Lobo link up in a future DCU film.

1

Lobo Is Stan Lee’s Favorite DC Comics Character

This one is really more of a fun fact. Stan Lee is arguably the most significant writer and publisher in the comic book industry. He’s the god of Marvel Comics and has created countless iconic characters over the years, such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk, and many, many others. Nearly every Marvel movie exists because of this guy right here.

There’s a video interview from 2012 where Stan Lee is asked for the name of his favorite DC Comics superhero. Without hesitation, Lee answers with a smile, “Lobo. Well, I don’t know if you can call him a hero. My favorite DC character — Lobo.” This news might instill hope in casual superhero fans who were let down by the DCEU and aren’t familiar with Lobo. If he’s the legendary Stan Lee’s favorite DC Comics character, then you know he’s got to be awesome.

“}]] Unless you’re an active comic book reader, you might not recognize Jason Momoa’s next DC role.  Read More