Argo City
From DC Database
Contents |
History
Argo City was one of three principal city-states located on the continent of Lurvan on the planet, Krypton (the other two were Kandor and Kryptonopolis). When a great cataclysm shook the planet in 1938, a large portion of the terrain surrounding Argo City heaved itself from the planet's surface, and actually broke through the atmosphere just as Krypton ultimately exploded. The city section maintained a portion of Krypton's gravity and atmosphere, despite the fact that it no longer revolved around the star, Rao.
For the next fifteen years, Argo City drifted harmlessly through space. In time though, the geology of the island became unstable and deposits of Kryptonite broke through the planetoid's surface. A scientist named Zor-El developed a means to stabilize the environment and to safeguard Argo City's populace from the deadly Kryptonite radiation. By covering the entire environment with a specially designed lead-based metallic plating, Zor-El managed to keep his fellow Kryptonians safe for many years.
One day however, Argo City passed through a meteor storm. The meteors rained down on the city, pounding through the protective lead shielding. Kryptonite radiation washed over Argo City killing hundreds of civilians. Fearing that their own deaths were imminent, Zor-El and his wife, Alura placed their sole child, Kara inside of a small rocket ship and exiled her from Argo City. Supergirl's rocket eventually arrived on the planet, Earth, where she ultimately met with her own Kryptonian cousin, Superman.
Zor-El and Alura meanwhile, survived the destruction of Argo City through an alternate means. Zor-El had discovered a twilight dimension he called the Survival Zone. In the city's final moments, Alura and he used a special projector to transport themselves into this zone, where they remained for many years. They reunited with Kara Zor-El when the latter had grown into adult hood and relocated to the city of Kandor on Rokyn.
Years after Argo City's destruction, a race of aliens known as the Vrangs (the original conqueror race of Krypton) discovered the ruins of Argo City floating through space. They examined a stone monolith inscribed with the words, "Whoever finds this monolith, know that you stand before the final bastion of the obliterated planet Krypton... [sic] and the final resting place for the souls of the last survivors of the noble Kryptonian race! Let it be known that we called our home Argo City... and that its citizens died with dignity!" [1]
New Earth
In recent years, Argo was shown to still be in-continuity. In issue #6 of Supergirl, both Supergirl and Power Girl are found in the bottled city of Kandor. There, it is claimed by Supergirl that the city of Argo still exists, and that she's searching for it as it is a piece of her home. It is not directly stated in Post-Crisis continuity whether Argo survived the destruction of Krypton, as Supergirl was jettisoned from Krypton at the same time as the infant Superman. Subsequent issues of the series have revealed Supergirl undergoing experiments wrought by her father Zor-El in Argo City.
Residents
Notes
- This version of Argo City is exclusive to Pre-Crisis continuity. In the modern canon, the current Supergirl claims to come from a similar location, also named Argo City.
- The means by how Argo City was able to maintain its gravity and atmosphere while sailing through space has never been satisfactorily explained.
Trivia
- No trivia.
See Also
- Appearances of Argo City (Alphabetical)
- Location Gallery: Argo City
- Catalogued images related to Argo City
Links and References
