Solovar is a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is a sentient gorilla, as well as the progressive leader of a race of gorillas that first appeared as supporting characters of The Flash. He is the archenemy of Gorilla Grodd.

Bio[]

Like all the apes of Gorilla City, Solovar was granted intelligence from contact with a mysterious meteor, but alone with the evil Grodd, he was granted psychic powers as well. Chosen as the city's king, Solovar protected his people from Grodd's depredations and became a good friend of Barry Allen. Just when Solovar opened up Gorilla City to petition for United Nations membership, however, he was assassinated by Grodd's agents. His nephew Ulgo took up the reigns of command, but soon afterwards passed kingship to his cousin Nnamdi, Solovar's son. However, in the New 52, he is alive and usurped Grodd from his enemy's rightful place as king.

Story[]

The Flash helped the gorilla leader escape and became the first human to learn of the city’s existence and its location. This led to a rivalry between Grodd and the Flash, as well as an alliance between the Flash and Solovar. Solovar was engaged to marry the beautiful Boka. However, Grodd, who had just arrived home after being released from prison, used neo-magnetic radiation to make himself irresistible to her and married her instead, becoming briefly Gorilla City's king. Under Solovar's guidance, Gorilla City was a technological utopia. Eventually, he decided his people could no longer use their science to hide from the human world. Believing that the world's ecological and political problems couldn't be solved by ignoring them, he opened his city's borders to the world and asked for membership in the United Nations. He advocated peace — among the gorillas and with humans — and was behind two diplomatic overtures to the human world.