Comic Title: Warlord #2
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
Cover Date: Mar/Apr 1976
On Sale Date: December 11, 1975 Newsstand Date December 11, 1975
Source: Direct Currents, Amazing World of DC Comics #9

Newsstand Date December 11, 1975
Source: Comic Reader, #125

Copyright Date December 11, 1975
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1976

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.25
Page Count: 32
Editor: Joe Orlando

Title: "Arena of Death"
Pages: 18

Feature(s):
Warlord (of Earth-1)

Writer/Artist: Mike Grell

Reprinted In:
Warlord TPB (1992)
Showcase Presents:Warlord Vol. 1 TPB (2009)

Feature Character(s)

• Warlord (last appearance in Warlord #1; next appearance in Warlord #12)

Supporting Character(s)

• Machiste (first appearance; next appearance in Warlord #12)

Villain(s)

• Drogar the Terrible (captain of the Gryfalcon; no further appearances)
• Drogar's crew (no further appearances)
• A crew of pirate raiders (no further appearances)
• Shebal (a trainer of gladiators; dies in this story; next appearance in Warlord #46)
• Prince Eris and two women (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Slaves aboard the Gryfalcon (no further appearances)
• Several gladiators (no further appearances)

Comments:
This story is continued from Warlord #1.

Synopsis:
Travis Morgan has been tied to a tree and left to die by slavers. When two jungle cats attack, he breaks the branch off the tree and kills one of the cats. The other nearly kills him, but he is saved by a group of riders. The leader of the group named Drogar offers him passage to Shamballah. Morgan accepts, but when he reaches the ship he is struck from behind.

Morgan awakens chained to the oars of the ship. He has become a slave. He befriends Machiste, another slave oarsman. Together they cause a brief revolt which is quickly put down by Drogar's men. The captain orders Morgan and Machiste hung, but a pirate raid interrupts the order. The two men then help to defend the ship. After the battle, Drogar elects to sell them as gladiators rather than kill them.

Morgan and Machiste are taken to the fortress of Shebal, a trainer of gladiators. They learn how to fight and kill with a variety of weapons. When a visiting prince choosing Morgan and Machiste to face each other in combat, they are placed in the arena to fight to the death. Morgan gains the upper hand. He then notices that the prince is wearing a watch that Morgan gave to Tara. Angered, Morgan ceases fighting Machiste and provokes a revolt among the gladiators. The former slaves cease the fortress from within.

After the fighting, Morgan questions Prince Eris about the watch. He learns that Tara was captured and sold to Deimos of Thera who has now become king. To get her back, Morgan urges the former gladiators to join him. He promises them plunder, but more importantly, he promises them their freedom.