Mongul was the ruler of his species until he was overthrown in a revolution and forced to flee. In his first appearance, Mongul kidnaps
Superman's friends (
Lois Lane,
Jimmy Olsen, and
Steve Lombard), threatening to kill them unless the hero brings him a key that can activate the artificial planet
Warworld. After Superman retrieves the key, Mongul activates Warworld. Psychically linked with its controls, Mongul tries to destroy Superman and
Supergirl. Mongul is rendered unconscious by the mental strain caused from using its controls, but manages to escape before the heroes destroy Warworld. Now wanting revenge on Superman, Mongul kills a
Controller and steals a
Sun-Eater to devour the Earth's Sun. While the
Justice League and
Legion of Super-Heroes battle Mongul, Superman finally defeats him as the Legion destroys the Sun-Eater. Mongul attacks Superman on his birthday and ensnares him with
Black Mercy, an alien plant that feeds off a victim's "bio-aura" and subdues them with visions of their ideal world. Meanwhile, Mongul nearly kills
Wonder Woman while mocking her views that women are equal. In the end, thanks to
Batman,
Robin, and Wonder Woman, Mongul falls victim to the plant, receiving visions of being ruler of the universe.
Modern Age (1985-present) Following the
limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, which rebooted DC's continuity, Mongul is reintroduced as the ruler of Warworld, a space empire where he entertains the citizens with gladiatorial games. Mongul's ship captures a dying Superman, who was floating adrift in outer space after he exiled himself from Earth, and Mongul decides to use him in the games, but Superman joins forces with Mongul's champion
Draaga and makes Mongul flee. Mongul is then persuaded via torture to serve the
Cyborg Superman to gain vengeance on Superman and to try to turn the Earth into another Warworld. In the process, Green Lantern
Hal Jordan's home,
Coast City, is destroyed, which leads to him joining Superman and his allies to defeat Mongul. During the
Underworld Unleashed storyline, the demon
Neron offers various supervillains enhanced power in exchange for their souls. Mongul's pride causes him to decline the offer and threaten Neron. In response, Neron beats Mongul to death for his defiance, taking his soul in the process.
Son of Mongul and
Peter Steigerwald.Mongul the Elder had twin children who survived: a boy and a girl. Both shared a strong sibling rivalry. The first,
Mongal, was known for her physical strength, while the second, Mongul, was more rational than his sister. Mongul's son, also named Mongul, watched digital renderings of his father's battles with Superman and the destruction of Coast City. He copies his father's actions when he encounters a group of aliens whose spaceship crashes on Arkymandryte, turning them into his slaves. Mongul's father returns, and discovering his son's slaves, he kills the aliens and tells him only one being on the planet is worthy of adoration. Mongul's son appears to assist and train Superman in preparation for the arrival of
Imperiex. He is apparently killed during the
Our Worlds at War storyline, but returns during
Infinite Crisis. He seeks out Mongal to settle family squabbles. Stating family to be a weakness, Mongul kills Mongal with a single blow to her head. Mongul receives a Yellow
Power Ring after breaking a dying
Sinestro Corps member's neck and takes over the Sinestro Corps. Following an unsuccessful attempt to invade
Daxam, Mongul takes the Sinestro Corps to
Korugar, Sinestro's homeworld. Soon after,
Sinestro is brought to Korugar and confronts Mongul, imprisoning him in the Sinestro Corps' Central Power Battery and reclaiming control of the Corps. and Christian Alamy.|left
The New 52 In
The New 52, a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe, the original Mongul is reintroduced. In his introduction, he is laying waste to a planet he is poised to conquer as he brought a resisting general aboard his vessel to show him the devastation of his homeworld just before killing him and adding his remains to a trophy room on Warworld. After being deposed by Sinestro, Mongul allies with the Pale Vicars, a group who loot planets and nullify their inhabitants' emotions. Mongul is later killed and succeeded by his son, Mongul MDCCXCII. ==Powers and abilities==