Nanda Parbat
Encyclopedia
Nanda Parbat is a fictional city in the DC Comics
universe. Nanda Parbat first appeared in Strange Adventures
#205 (October 1967), and was created by Arnold Drake
and Carmine Infantino
, the creators of Deadman
.
and the real Nanga Parbat
in Pakistan
, Nanda Parbat is a hidden city nestled high in the mountains of Tibet
; it is said to be a place of healing and enlightenment watched over by the goddess
-like figure Rama Kushna and her monks. As in Shangri-La, time moves differently in Nanda Parbat. Its visitors are often able to retain their youth many decades after their arrival, and yet they can leave Nanda Parbat to find that less time has passed in the outside world.
Rama Kushna is most famous as the entity responsible for turning aerialist Boston Brand into the ghostly Deadman. As her spiritual agent, Brand wanders the Earth possessing the bodies of the living and doing good works, in the hopes of finding eventual access to paradise. Deadman has returned to Nanda Parbat on occasion to defend it against attackers such as The Sensei
of the League of Assassins
, an aged warrior at one time possessed by Jonah, another of Rama's former agents.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. Nanda Parbat first appeared in Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures
Strange Adventures was the title of several American comic books published by DC Comics, most notably a long-running science fiction anthology that began in 1950.-Original series:...
#205 (October 1967), and was created by Arnold Drake
Arnold Drake
Arnold Drake was an American comic book writer and screenwriter best known for co-creating the DC Comics characters Deadman and the Doom Patrol, and the Marvel Comics characters the Guardians of the Galaxy, among others....
and Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
, the creators of Deadman
Deadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
.
History
Patterned after the fictional Shangri-LaShangri-La
Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton. Hilton describes Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains...
and the real Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Nanda Parbat is a hidden city nestled high in the mountains of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
; it is said to be a place of healing and enlightenment watched over by the goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
-like figure Rama Kushna and her monks. As in Shangri-La, time moves differently in Nanda Parbat. Its visitors are often able to retain their youth many decades after their arrival, and yet they can leave Nanda Parbat to find that less time has passed in the outside world.
Rama Kushna is most famous as the entity responsible for turning aerialist Boston Brand into the ghostly Deadman. As her spiritual agent, Brand wanders the Earth possessing the bodies of the living and doing good works, in the hopes of finding eventual access to paradise. Deadman has returned to Nanda Parbat on occasion to defend it against attackers such as The Sensei
Sensei (comics)
The Sensei is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. He is a martial artist and sensei created by writer-artist Neal Adams as a villain to fight the hero Batman. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #215 The Sensei is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared...
of the League of Assassins
League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
, an aged warrior at one time possessed by Jonah, another of Rama's former agents.
Invisible Map
A map had been used to reach this place in the story arc "The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul" written by Grant Morrison and Paul Dini. The so-called "invisible map" is supposedly composed of 7 pieces, some of which are: a tattoo, a scrap of parchment, a poem and a birthmark.Notable appearances
Rama Kushna and Nanda Parbat have also played a role in the lives of other DC Comics characters:- Nanda Parbat was home to JudomasterJudomasterJudomaster is the name given to three fictional superheroes published by DC Comics. The first Judomaster debuted in Special War Series #4 published by Charlton Comics, and was created by Joe Gill and Frank McLaughlin.-Hadley Jagger:...
prior to his joining the team known as the L.A.W.L.A.W. (comics)The L.A.W. was a six-issue American comic book limited series, published by DC Comics.The starring team "The L.A.W." consisted of Charlton Comics characters Blue Beetle, The Question, Judomaster, Captain Atom, The Peacemaker, Nightshade, and Sarge Steel...
It is responsible for him remaining as youthful as he was in the 1940s. - The Crimson AvengerCrimson AvengerThe Crimson Avenger is the name of three separate fictional characters, superheroes who exist in the DC Comics universe.-Lee Walter Travis:The original Crimson Avenger made his first published appearance in Detective Comics #20...
spent time in Nanda Parbat, seeking meaning in the senseless acts of violence he witnessed in World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During his convalescence, he received a vision of the future and witnessed the death of SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
(as depicted in Golden Age Secret Files #1). - In 5252 (comic book)52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, Nanda Parbat is where The QuestionQuestion (comics)The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
takes Renee MontoyaRenee MontoyaRenee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992....
to be trained by martial arts master Richard DragonRichard DragonRichard Dragon is a fictional character created by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry in the novel Dragon's Fists under the pseudonym "Jim Dennis." O'Neil later adapted the character for DC Comics in the comic book Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter....
. It is just outside of Nanda Parbat that the Question dies due to complications from lung cancer. - Later in 52, Ralph DibnyElongated ManThe Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was in The Flash vol. 1, #112...
journeys to Nanda Parbat, seeking an audience with Rama Kushna and a way to resurrect his late wife, SueSue DibnySusan "Sue" Dearbon Dibny is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with the Elongated Man. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in Flash vol. 1 #119...
. A member of the Great Ten, the Accomplished Perfect Physician, is also shown seeking inner peace in the hidden city. - In Batman #663, BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
uses a mantraMantraA mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
or prayer over a dead man he learned in Nanda Parbat. Also in the same issue he enters the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi using a technique learned in Nanda Parbat to find the hidden or occultOccultThe word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
pattern to the Joker's recent murders.
Other media
- In the episode "Dead Reckoning" of the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
television show, BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
reveals that he studied with a martial arts master in a monastery in Nanda Parbat, and enlists the help of Deadman, who lives in said city, to avenge the martial arts master's murder. It is seen that all the monks died due to the Secret Society of Supervillains, but they are revived since they stopped their plans.