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| Vermin | |
|---|---|
_from_Fear_Itself_Spider-Man_Vol_1_1_001.jpg) Vermin as depicted inFear Itself: Spider-Man #1 (May 2011). Art byMike McKone (penciler/inker) and Jeremy Cox (colorist). | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Captain America #272 (August 1982)[1] |
| Created by | J. M. DeMatteis Mike Zeck |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Edward Whelan |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | New Revengers Sewer Enclave |
| Partnerships | Baron Zemo Armin Zola |
| Abilities |
As Vermin:
|
Vermin (Edward Whelan) is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary ofCaptain America andSpider-Man. Ageneticist working forBaron Zemo andArnim Zola, Edward Whelan was subjected to an experiment that mutated him into a humanoid rat, gaining superhuman abilities, as well as the predatory instincts of a rat. The character's most notable appearance was in the storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt".
The character's first appearance was inCaptain America #272 (August 1982).[2] He was created byJ. M. DeMatteis andMike Zeck.[3]
He became an antagonist for Spider-Man as well inMarvel Team-Up #128 (April 1983), fighting both Captain America and Spider-Man.[4] These initial stories established Vermin as a tragic figure mutated byBaron Zemo's experiments.
Vermin gained prominence during the 1987 storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt", appearing across multiple Spider-Man titles.[3] The character was further explored in "The Child Within" arc inSpectacular Spider-Man #178-184 (1991-1992), which delved into his traumatic backstory and temporary reversion to human form underAshley Kafka's care.[5]
In recent years, Vermin has appeared in major crossover events including the "Hunted" arc inAmazing Spider-Man vol. 5 #16-23 (2019), where he was captured byArcade and gained the ability to clone himself.[6]
Edward Whelan suffered severe physical and sexualabuse as a child from his father.[7] As an adult, he is ageneticist working forHelmut Zemo andPrimus, who later experiment on him and transform him into a cannibalistic, humanoid rat. Vermin is defeated byCaptain America and turned over toS.H.I.E.L.D.[8] He escapes S.H.I.E.L.D., however, and returns to the service of Zola and Zemo.[9]
Some time later, Vermin kidnaps women off the streets into the sewers, and devours them. He is defeated and captured byKraven the Hunter disguised as Spider-Man; Kraven seeks to prove himself superior to Spider-Man by defeating Vermin alone whenSpider-Man needed Captain America to help him. He is forced by Kraven to battle the real Spider-Man, then allowed to escape; he is finally captured and turned over to the police by Spider-Man.[10] During a breakout at theVault prison, Vermin assistsVenom in hunting down prison wardenTruman Marsh. Under Venom's orders, Vermin later teams withPowderkeg andMentallo; they temporarily defeatIron Man andHank Pym. Mentallo's powers are used to neutralize the break out.[11]
Vermin eventually escapes the asylum, and attacks his parents at their home inScarsdale. He is captured by Spider-Man and returned to psychiatric care. Whelan returns to his human form after being treated byAshley Kafka, which causes him to only transform into Vermin for a few hours at a time.[7]
Whelan and Kafka are kidnapped by a group of other Zemo mutants, who want Whelan to become Vermin again and lead them in their quest for revenge. Instead, Whelan persuades them to surrender themselves for psychiatric treatment so that they can be cured as he was. However, Zemo uses a mind-control device to take control of the mutants and revert Whelan to Vermin, intending to use them as subjects for further experiments. His will strengthened by his psychiatric care, Whelan partially reverts to human form and attacks Zemo. Kafka convinces him to not kill Zemo, and by letting go of his hate Whelan allows "Vermin" to finally die. No longer confined to psychiatric institutions, he submits to trial for his crimes as Vermin, withMatt Murdock agreeing to be his lawyer for the case.[12]
Whelan later relapses and becomes Vermin again.[13] He is incarcerated in theBig House, an experimental prison whose inmates are shrunken via Pym Particles to reduce the chance of them escaping. An escape attempt is thwarted byShe-Hulk.[14]
InAll-New, All-Different Marvel, Vermin appears as a member ofMaker'sNew Revengers.[15]
During theHunted storyline, Vermin is captured byLizard andTaskmaster, who hand him over toArcade. After securing Vermin in a cave, Arcade injects him with a serum that gives him the ability to clone himself. The Vermin clones overwhelm Spider-Man and nearly kill him until he is saved by Kraven the Hunter.[16][17]
A slew of Vermin's clones are seen kidnapping residents from a local New York stretch that had fallen under the care ofMoon Knight for company and food restock. Moon Knight manages to talk the Vermin clones down and let them free in exchange for not attacking his land again.[18]
Edward Whelan later appears as an orderly atRavencroft under the remedial care of Ashley Kafka.[19] The institute is attacked bySpidercide, a clone of Spider-Man, who rewires Whelan's brain chemistry to make him become Vermin again. However, Whelan retains enough of his mind to helpScarlet Spider stop the ensuing riot.[20][21]
Having suffered a relapse into feral ways, Vermin is seen backed by an army of clones attacking Central Park. The main Vermin has fallen under the control of the Sisterhood of the Wasp, a secretive cult that worshipsShathra.[22]
Spider-Man suffers a subtle emotional breakdown, which causes him to become more ruthless and uncompromising. This leads him to throw Kraven the Hunter into a pit of swarming Vermin clones.[23]
Vermin and his army of undergrounders encounter Moon Knight after his midnight mission had been upended and those under his care had been rendered as fugitives.[24] They recommence their blood feud, with Moon Knight killing one of Vermin's clones and setting the rest on fire.
Vermin is brought into theSewer Enclave byMiles Morales' cloneShift.[25]
Doctor Tramma dispatches Vermin to go afterSpider-Girl. He attacks her at the Red Snow martial arts studio that she is attending. During the fight, Spider-Girl is surprised that Vermin knows her true identity. She manages to copy Vermin's powers and orders the Vermin clones to go away and take Vermin back to his home.[26]
Vermin's strength was enhanced by the experimental mutagenic process designed byArnim Zola, and forced upon him. He resembles a humanoid rat and possesses enhanced strength, durability, senses, and agility.
Vermin has the ability to control rats and dogs within a two-mile (3 km) radius of himself.[27] Edward learned to shift between human and Vermin form.[21]
After being subjected to augmentative gene-therapy administered byArcade, Vermin gained the ability to clone himself through acceleratedmitosis.[16]
In 2021,Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Vermin 5th in their "Marvel: 10 Characters Baron Zemo Created In The Comics" list.[28]
An alternate universe version of Edward Whelan from Earth-71290 appears inSpider-Society #2. This version works as an assistant toAshley Kafka atRavencroft.[29]
An alternate universe version of Edward Whelan / Vermin fromEarth-1610 appears inAll-New Ultimates #7. This version previously worked forS.H.I.E.L.D. until it was dissolved. Following this, he took to living in a sewer system where he developed a psychic connection to Agent Crock and the two became tyrants until they encountered the Young Ultimates. In the ensuing fight,Shadowcat kills Crock, which kills Vermin as well due to their connection.[30]
An alternate universe version of Vermin fromEarth-6160 makes a minor appearance inUltimate Spider-Man #18 (2024) as one of several villains defeated bySpider-Man andGreen Goblin.[31]
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