The Weird #1-4 is
a four-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics from April to July 1988. Masterminded by cosmic writer
Jim Starlin and fully illustrated by horror art legend
Bernie Wrightson (with inks by Dan Green), this Copper Age miniseries introduces a bizarre, tragic alien entity into the heart of the DC Universe.
Plot Overview
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The Arrival: A human scientist named Jason Morgan performs a dark ritual in Metropolis to open a gateway to a parallel dimension. Through the rift escapes a Zarolatt—a benign, energy-based sentient being fleeing its oppressive home reality.
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The Body: Needing a physical form to survive Earth's atmosphere, the gaseous alien fuses with the recently deceased body of a regular man named Walter Langley, transforming into a bizarre, blue-skinned, flesh-shifting creature known as The Weird.
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The Threat: The portal Jason opened allows a predatory alien race called the Macrolatts to pursue the Zarolatt to Earth. The Macrolatts begin possessing heavy-hitting superheroes—including Supermanand Infinity, Inc.'s Nuklon—intending to consume the planet's energy.
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The Sacrifice: To save his new home, The Weird teams up with Batman and the newly formed Justice League International. The miniseries culminates in a tragic finale where The Weird tricks and destroys the Macrolatts, but his own molecular structure becomes fatally unstable, forcing Superman to escort him into deep space where he safely explodes like a star.
Key Features & Legacy
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Star Creator Teamup: The series is highly celebrated for the creative synergy between Starlin's high-concept cosmic writing and Wrightson's distinct, gothic horror artwork.
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Justice League Continuity: The story takes place early in the post-Crisis timeline, specifically around the events of Justice League International #7, heavily featuring heroes like Blue Beetle, Martian Manhunter, Captain Atom, and Guy Gardner.
- Power Set: The Weird possesses unique capabilities, including total control over his molecular structure, density manipulation, energy projection, and the ability to phase through solid matter.
