Highfather
Fictional character
title: "Highfather" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["characters-created-by-jack-kirby", "comics-characters-introduced-in-1971", "dc-comics-characters-who-can-teleport", "dc-comics-immortals", "dc-comics-characters-with-superhuman-durability-or-invulnerability", "dc-comics-characters-with-superhuman-senses", "dc-comics-characters-with-superhuman-strength", "dc-comics-deities", "dc-comics-telepaths", "fiction-about-god", "fictional-characters-who-can-manipulate-light", "fictional-characters-with-death-or-rebirth-abilities", "fictional-gods", "fictional-stick-fighters", "fictional-heads-of-state", "new-gods", "new-gods-of-new-genesis"] description: "Fictional character" topic_path: "general/characters-created-by-jack-kirby" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highfather" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Fictional character ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox comics character "]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| <!-- | character_name |
| image | Highfather (Izaya the Inheritor).png |
| converted | y |
| caption | Highfather as depicted in Who's Who in the DC Universe #10 (December 1985). |
| Art by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer. | |
| publisher | DC Comics |
| debut | The New Gods #1 (February/March 1971) |
| creators | Jack Kirby |
| alter_ego | Izaya the Inheritor |
| homeworld | New Genesis |
| species | New God |
| alliances | New Gods |
| aliases | The All-Father |
| Lightseid | |
| God of Good | |
| Master of Light | |
| Light God | |
| Ixaya | |
| cat | deities |
| subcat | DC Comics |
| sortkey | Highfather |
| :: |
| image = Highfather (Izaya the Inheritor).png | converted = y | caption = Highfather as depicted in Who's Who in the DC Universe #10 (December 1985). Art by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer. | publisher = DC Comics | debut = The New Gods #1 (February/March 1971) | creators = Jack Kirby | alter_ego = Izaya the Inheritor | homeworld = New Genesis | species = New God | alliances = New Gods | aliases = The All-Father Lightseid God of Good Master of Light Light God Ixaya | powers =
- Immortality
- Ability to commune with the Source
- Super strength, durability, speed and senses
- Alpha powers and energy manipulation
- Telepathy
- Life Equation (formerly)
- Wields The Golden Staff | cat = deities | subcat = DC Comics | sortkey = Highfather Highfather (Izaya) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. An integral part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, Highfather is a New God, the leader of the planet New Genesis, and the good counterpart of Darkseid.
Highfather has been adapted into various media outside comics, primarily in association with the New Gods. Mitchell Ryan, Mark Rolston, and Richard Chamberlain have voiced the character in animation.
Publication history
Highfather was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in The New Gods #1 (March 1971).
The character played a significant role in The Great Darkness Saga, a 1982 Legion of Super-Heroes storyline. In the story, he is reborn in the 31st century and helps the Legion battle Darkseid.
Fictional character history
Izaya is a warrior and the leader of New Genesis. After Steppenwolf murders his wife Avia, Izaya participates in the war against Apokolips before enacting a peace treaty with them. To this end, he trades his son Scott Free to Apokolips and adopts Darkseid's son Orion. Scott later escapes Apokolips, breaking the treaty.
Highfather often consults the Source when making his decisions. Though never stated explicitly in the New Gods series, the Source is implied to be a higher power (perhaps even God), making Izaya a spiritual as well as the political leader of his people. As ruler of New Genesis, he is kind, compassionate, and caring but ready to defend it from any threat.
In Genesis, Highfather is killed in battle with Ares and succeeded by Takion. His spirit joins the Quintessence, a council of cosmic entities.
In The New 52 continuity reboot, Izaya is resurrected and depicted as the founder of New Genesis. As part of The New 52 updates to characters, Highfather's backstory was changed to say that he and Darkseid were brothers who united to overthrow their father Yuga Khan, King of the Old Gods, who became sworn enemies when Darkseid killed Highfather's wife. Highfather is depicted as a morally ambiguous wartime leader rather than an embodiment of good. Infinity Man, previously depicted as Darkseid's all-benevolent brother from New Genesis, is explained to the embodiment of Highfather's conscience.{{multiref2|Wonder Woman (vol. 4) #14 (January 2013)|Justice League (vol. 2) #23.1 (November 2013)|Green Lantern Corps (vol. 3) #35 - 37 (December 2014 - February 2015)|Green Lantern: New Guardians #35 - #37 (December 2014 - February 2015)|Green Lantern (vol. 5) #35 (December 2014)|Red Lanterns #36 (January 2015)|Infinity Man and the Forever People #5 (January 2015)|Sinestro #7 - #8 (February 2015)|Infinity Man and the Forever People #9 (May 2015)|Justice League (vol. 2) #41 (August 2015)
In New Gods (vol. 5), Highfather is anxious over a prophecy from Metron about a child who will either bring peace, or war to New Genesis. He sends Orion to kill said child to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass.
Powers and abilities
As a New God, Highfather is nigh-immortal and possesses superhuman physical abilities. He can channel the Source via his staff and once wielded the Life Equation, which enabled him to manipulate reality.
Other versions
An alternate universe variant of Highfather appears in JLA: The Nail.
In other media
Television
- Highfather appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU). Following non-speaking cameo appearances in Superman: The Animated Series, he appears in the Justice League episode "Twilight", voiced by Mitchell Ryan.
- Highfather appears in the fourth season of Young Justice, voiced by Mark Rolston. This version is named Iyaza and his wife Avia is still alive.
Film
An alternate universe variant of Highfather appears in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, voiced by Richard Chamberlain. This version wed Bekka to Orion to bring Apokolips and New Genesis together, subsequently betraying Darkseid and killing him and his elite, including Orion. This action causes Bekka to leave for Earth.
Video games
Highfather appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
Miscellaneous
Highfather appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic.
References
References
- ''The Multiversity Guidebook'' #1 (Mar. 2015)
- (2014). "American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s". TwoMorrows Publishing.
- (2016). "The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe". DK Publishing.
- (2019). "DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle". DK Publishing.
- ''New Gods'' #7 (March 1972)
- ''Who's Who in the DC Universe'' #12 (September 1991)
- ''Genesis'' #3 (December 1997)
- (December 2014). "Green Lantern / New Gods: Godhead".
- "Highfather Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors.
- Eisen, Andrew. (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::