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Shadow Thief
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article describes fictional events in the past tense. The present tense should be used in order to clearly differentiate between fictional events and actual history. To meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this comics-related article or section may require cleanup. See this article's talk page before making any large and/or controversial edits. This article has been tagged since March 2007. |
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Shadow Thief is a DC Comics supervillain and a recurring foe to Hawkman. He was created by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert, and first appeared in Brave and the Bold # 36 (July 1961).
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While growing up in Japan, Carl Sands learned ninjutsu techniques and became a rather undistinguished industrial saboteur, accepting unremarkable sums to hinder and eliminate his clients' rivals. The Thanagarian criminal Byth then hired Sands to steal Hawkman and Hawkwoman's ship. To help Sands with this job, Byth gave him a Thanagarian belt device/"shadow vest" known as a Dimensiometer, which gave Sands the ability to shift his body into a shadow form. (In the Pre-Crisis version, Sands was given the dimensiometer in return for inadvertently helping an alien explorer.)
Hawkman eventually defeated him, but Shadow-Thief would come into conflict with him many times after that. He would later become a member of the Injustice Gang which came into conflict with Hawkman and his allies, the Justice League of America. He lost the belt to the Phantom Stranger, but he gained a shadow suit. He eventually sold his soul to Neron for more power. Neron gave him a more powerful shadow suit with the ability to turn other people and objects into shadows.
Recently, the Shadow Thief has entered into the employ of St. Roch art trader Kristopher Roderic. Sands has been sent to the ends of the earth in service of Roderic's dark aims, and is hopeful that the unscrupulous collector will help him with a problem of his own.
During the events of Identity Crisis, Shadow Thief became deranged and began having delusional conversations with the Dimensionmeter. He ended up apparently killing Firestorm with Shining Knight's mystically enhanced sword. For killing Firestorm, he was prosecuted by Kate Spencer (a.k.a. Manhunter IX).
- The Dimensionmeter enables its wearer to shift his body into a two-dimensional, intangible "shadow" state. While the vest is activated, Sands can move quickly and silently across and through most surfaces and materials, all the while remaining impervious to physical contact and attack. Long-term side effects from prolonged use of the vest are unknown.
- Shadow Thief was an important character in Justice League Unlimited's season five's story arc on the relationship between Green Lantern and Shayera Hol.
- Debuting in Shadow of the Hawk, he stalked a man calling himself Carter Hall (and claiming to be the reincarnated Hawkman) and also Shayera (the former Hawkgirl) to Egypt. There, Hall had uncovered a tomb which was revealed to hold the corpses of Thanagarians, as well as their artifacts and technology. Shadow Thief attempted to steal the treasures but was defeated by Shayera, Carter, and Batman. However, he escaped when the tomb collapsed.
- Returning in Ancient History, he informs Shayera that Carter Hall is actually the reincarnation of one Katar Hol, who lived during the dynasty of ancient Egypt when Thanagarians ruled the populace; the late Katar's mistress, Chay-Ara, had been carrying on an affair with Vashari and the lovers were consequently poisoned by a vengeful priest Hath-Set, whereupon the distraught Katar committed suicide. Katar, Chay-Ara, Vashari and Hath-Set are implied to be the former lives of Carter Hall, Shayera Hol, John Stewart and Shadow Thief. Shadow-Thief then snapped John Stewart's wrist and nearly murdered Vixen, before Shayera and Carter hesitantly teamed up to stop him. After informing Shayera of his revelation, Shadow Thief was unveiled to be a physical manifestation of the dark side of Carter's mind. (Some fans criticize this revelation, pointing out how it is very similar to the recent Marvel Comics revelation that 'The Sentry' and 'The Void' are one and the same being. When actually the story was based on a Green Lantern 5 part arc The Circle of Fire in which the villain Oblivion was revealed to be the dark impulses of Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. The conflict even ended in a very similar way as both Carter Hall and Kyle Rayner absorbed their evil counterparts having to live with the dark desires with in them.) Shadow Thief was voiced by an uncredited James Remar who also provided the voice of Hawkman for the series.