| Ferlin Nyxly
|
Earth-One
|
| Characteristics
|
| Real name
|
Ferlin Nyxly
|
| Alias
|
Pan the Demigod
|
| Gender
|
Male
|
| Alignment
|
Bad
|
| Occupation
|
Loser, later musical genius, later criminal
|
| Family
|
none known
|
| Affiliation
|
none known
|
| First appearance
|
Superman vol 1 #235 (Mar 1971)
|
| Universe
|
Pre-Crisis/Earth-One
|
| Alternate versions
|
none known
|
History
Ferlin Nyxly used to be a loser, basically taking whatever work he could get. One night when he was working in the Metropolis Music Museum he studied a newly arrived batch of ancient instruments said to be found beneath an ancient city. Taking a harp that resembled the face of the devil he decided to play a little with the instrument, while wishing that he could make a musical career. The mystical sound of the harp upset him and he sat down at a piano instead in order to continue his self-pitying. To his great surprise he was able to play the piano like a real master and he realized that he finally could fulfil his dream of becoming a great musician.
Half a year later he was having his biggest concert in Metropolis, and was attended by some major international leaders. Before the concert could begin, however, terrorists arrived there in a helicopter with the plan to bomb the entire stadium and the leaders. Clark Kent, being at the concert with Lois Lane, changed into Superman and quickly and impressively stopped the terrorists. The concert began, but despite Nyxly's excellent piano-play all the audience talked about was Superman's amazing feat. A man in the audience, Timos Achens, was the former world's greatest piano-player and virtuoso, who suddenly had lost all ability to play half a year earlier.
Later, while begrudging last night's failed concert, Nyxly again walked around in the Music Museum. He again, while feeling hatred for Superman, picked up the mystical harp, which he referred to as the Devil's Harp (or Pan Harp), played a little and wished that he too could fly. To his surprise, again, he began floating in the air, while Superman lost his ability to fly over the Atlantic. Nyxly, who now understood the power of the Harp, put on a costume of the god Pan, and decided to use his abilities to commit crimes.
