As DC’s foremost intergalactic bounty hunter, Lobo has fought to maintain his reputation as the “Main Man.” The last of his kind, the abrasive antihero has clashed with some of the best heroes and villains around, and continues to prove why he earned his nickname. Some readers, however, might question where he got this iconic moniker in the first place.
Lobo was introduced in Omega Men #3, appearing as a standard, ’80s cosmic villain. Later, under the influence of writers Keith Giffen and JM DeMatteis in Justice League International, the character was rebranded into the loudmouthed, womanizing bounty hunter that DC readers would in time become familiar with.
In the 1990s, Lobo became the face of DC’s foray into gritty antiheroes and youth-driven rebellion. When Lobo received his full makeover, it came with a self-aggrandizing attitude, as well as a new, self-bestowed nickname.
LOBO Is Taking Over DC Comics in Early 2024
Typically used as a villain for Superman or an independent operator in DC’s comic universe, bounty hunter Lobo is taking a much more prevalent role.
Lobo Gave Himself The “Main Man” Title, Of Course
Not only does the Last Czarnian have a habit of referring to himself in the third person, he also introduces himself as the “Main Man.” This abrasive, self-important persona may be a turn-off for most, but it has helped earn the bounty hunter a reputation among DC readers and characters alike over the years. To understand Lobo’s personality and how he has cultivated a high impression of himself, it’s important to look back to his first solo miniseries, where stories logging the character’s early life, offered readers a peak of his mentality.
Lobo’s explanation of his self-made status as the main man can be found in Lobo #1 – by Keith Giffen, Alan Grant & Simon Bisley – as he states:
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My purpose in life is t’kill an’ maim… I’ve dedicated myself t’bein’ the best there is at it… Primo Hombre in the whole fraggin’ universe!
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As it is established, Lobo goes by the moniker of the “Main Man” simply because he wants that reputation. In fact, most of the character’s reputation is his own creation, which he makes sure to live up to. This extended to murdering his own species, just to ensure he was one of a kind and unique.
Lobo’s Reputation Precedes Him & That’s Exactly How He Wants It
Presented as a record of a session between the bounty hunter and a psychologist, Lobo #1 is a good look at just how much reputation matters to Lobo. In fact, when the psychologist questioned whether the Czarnian had a “soft streak,” he was promptly murdered in brutal fashion. Of all the characters in the DCU, few have as well-defined a personality and history as Lobo. The profane, womanizing and ultra-violent antihero has made sure to cultivate and enforce his reputation as the biggest, baddest bounty hunter in space.
From Lobo #1 onward, the bounty hunter’s self-styled “Main Man” status only continued to catch on, as he forged his path to ranking among DC’s most recognizable characters, and certainly up there with its most unhinged. Possessing one of DC’s most unstoppable healing factor, the intergalactic anti-hero has proved capable of taking more punishment than almost any other character in the DC Universe – proving that in at least one respect, at least, Lobo really can be classified as the “Main Man.”
