Later, after encountering the Moirai, who explain his destiny to him, he takes on a more Native American appearance, including leather-fringed pants and a Mohawk hairstyle.

[3] Unlike Conan (a character Roy Thomas also wrote during his tenure at Marvel Comics), who usually fought against H. P. Lovecraftian monsters and entities, Arak encounters figures and creatures from myth and legends, including Greek, Norse, Judeo-Christian-Islamic, Oriental and others.

Co-creator Roy Thomas initially wanted to adapt Robert E. Howard's Cormac Mac Art, but shifted focus after realizing there was not as many stories to adapt unlike Howard's other creations, Thomas brought in his then fiancée Danette Couto, who liked the time period of 500 A.D, but decided to center the story around a Native American discovering Europe, Thomas later stated "Arak, Son of Thunder's early issues were not Conan stories recast with Arak, They just had similar element's because Howard was my primary influence in sword and sorcery, so I just naturally thought that way"[4] After his debut in The Warlord #48, Arak starred in a monthly DC Comics series, Arak, Son of Thunder, which ran 50 issues (and one 1984 annual) from September 1981 to November 1985.

Arak's mother, Star-of-Dawn (of the Quontauka Native tribe) was seduced by an evil serpent god while wandering alone.

He is unconscious, but awakens just long enough to utter the phrase He-No (a reference to his Native American father) a few times and swing a knife at the Viking leader.

Arak is particularly effective with a small axe, similar in proportion to a Native American club he was found with, but can also use a sword, shield, and bow.

They consist mostly of raiding monasteries for treasure, including a huge gold bejeweled cross which the captain hangs upside down on the mast as a good luck hammer of thunder.

Arak refuses, wanting to find the remaining fragments of his tribe (now wandering across North America, seeking a new home).

On his deathbed, his father appears to him, tells him he loves him, and leaves a mystic cloak for a descendant who he promises will aid the world when they need it the most.

Arak and Valda (along with several other heroes of past eras) traveled to the present day to help battling the Ultra-Humanite during the Crisis on Infinite Earths in All-Star Squadron #55 (1985).

Arak is a good swordsman, skilled with a tomahawk, trained in hand-to-hand combat and is competent with the bow and arrow.

He also possesses limited certain magical powers which include weather manipulation, earth control, longevity, along with spell and illusion casting, all due to his godly heritage.