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Abyss is the name of two characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Abyss is a mutant and the half-brother ofNightcrawler. He was created byScott Lobdell,Mark Waid,Roger Cruz, andSteve Epting, and he first appeared inAge of Apocalypse: Alpha, which takes place in an alternate reality.
TheAge of Apocalypse version of the character is aHorsemen of Apocalypse and a living portal who can send others to another dimension.[1]
Years after theAge of Apocalypse event ended, the character was introduced in the mainMarvel Universe. This version isNils Styger, a native ofGenosha who possesses the additional ability to transform parts of his body into elastic tendrils.[2]
Abyss debuted inThe Avengers (vol. 5) #1, and was created byJonathan Hickman andJerome Opeña.[3] She is an alien who is composed of living gas and can manipulate the minds of others. Abyss comes into conflict with the Avengers before eventually joining them to stop the Incursions and being killed in battle with theBeyonders.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
The second incarnation of Abyss appears inMoon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, voiced byMaya Hawke.[12] This version possesses teleportation capabilities and is the latest in a long line of generational female supervillains. However, she begins to reconsider villainy after encounteringMoon Girl andDevil Dinosaur. In "Shoot for the Moon", Abyss is shown to have graduated from the Good Word Program. She is among those that assist Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur in fighting Decoy and her Athena Ray-created clones.
Adam is the first human created byGod. The character is derived from the biblicalAdam. He was a recurring character inGhost Rider volume 7 andMan-Thing volume 5. The biblical Adam had previously been featured in Marvel'sBible Tales for Young Folk series in 1953.
When theSerpent wasfreed, Adam saw this as a sign and offered toJohnny Blaze to remove the curse of Ghost Rider off him, instead giving it to one of his studentsAlejandra Jones.[13]
Aegis is the name of several characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Aegis, orLady of All Sorrows, is a primordial being who wields thePower Cosmic.[14] Aegis was created by writerKeith Giffen and artistAndrea Di Vito, and she first appeared inAnnihilation: Silver Surfer #3, dated August 2006.[citation needed] Aegis is a member of the Proemial Gods who build and maintain the universe. She is the Proemial responsible for eliminating aberrations. After a war among the Proemials, Aegis and Tenerous were captured by Galactus. She and Tenebrous aligned withThanos and Annihilus to fight Galactus and theSilver Surfer. The two successfully defeated Galactus for Annihilus.[15] Outlasting the events of the Annihilation Wave, Aegis and Tenebrous pondered what to do. Recognizing their threat, the Silver Surfer attacked the two, but was outclassed until he used the energies of theCrunch, a barrier between the universe and theNegative Zone, to slay both primordials.[16]
Aegis is a superhero created byJay Faerber andSteve Scott who first appeared inThe New Warriors (vol. 2) #0 in June 1999.[citation needed]Trey Rollins was a kid in Brooklyn who found a magic breastplate. He became the superhero Aegis and joined theNew Warriors. WhenHercules learns that Rollins has the breastplate, he takes Rollins toOlympus and battles him, accusing him of stealing the breastplate. Rollins earns the right to keep the breastplate, and he learns that it was gift fromAthena.[17]
During thesuperhero civil war. an unregistered Aegis is being pursued byS.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. He is offered sanctuary with X-Factor but declines.[18] He later complied with the Registration Act.[19] Aegis was killed during a fight with theHuntsman when the breastplate fails to protect him after jumping out of a 12-story window. Huntsman was acting on behalf ofHera after Zeus' death.[20] He later appears in Erebus, a casino where souls try to win a chance at resurrection. He helps Hercules save Zeus from his imprisonment by Hades and accompaniesAmadeus Cho to theElysian Fields.[21]
Aftershock is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
In theMC2 reality,Allison Dillon is the daughter of former supervillainMax Dillon / Electro.[22] She inherited her father's electric powers, but their different electric auras left them unable to touch the other without harming themselves. Growing up in foster homes, Dillon becomes the supervillain the teenage villainAftershock. Electro finds his daughter with the help ofSpider-Man andSpider-Girl inSpider-Girl #81 and convinces her to stand down.[23]
In the main Marvel Comics continuity, Aftershock isDanielle Blunt, a young woman empowered and brainwashed by the Superior to become the field leader of the "Bastards of Evil", believing herself to be Electro's daughter.[24] Her position as field leader caused frictions with teammate Singularity, leading to a fight that restored her memories.[25] She was aprenhended and sent tothe Raft by Spider-Girl, who helped her fully regain her identity in a futile attempt to reform her.[24] Blunt is later freed with the Bastards of Evil in theFear Itself story arc.[26]
A character based on the Allison Dillon incarnation of Aftershock appears inMoon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, voiced byAlison Brie.[27] This version daylights as Ms. Dillon, a school teacher. While not made explicitly clear within the series, show developerSteve Loter referred to her as Electro's daughter.[28]
Agamemnon is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Agamemnon is a half-human, half-Asgardian.[29] He was born immortal, and though he never physically aged beyond the age of 16 (although he employs holograms to appear as an old man), thePantheon members are all his descendants. He recruited the Pantheon, stationed in the Nevada desert based headquarters called The Mount.[30] He first appeared inThe Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #381 (May 1991).[31] Aside from being immortal, Agamemnon does not appear to have superhuman powers. He is a master in analyzing and forecasting the future development of social structures, as well as a master battle strategist and an excellent hand-to-hand combatant. He also has access to the highly advanced technology produced by the Pantheon scientists and craftsmen. Since the revelation that he is Loki's son, he has also demonstrated knowledge of magic and spell casting. Though he does not appear to have any innate magic ability, he has shown skill in employing magical artifacts and rituals.[citation needed]
Further reading
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Agent 33 (Kara Lynn Palamas) is a fictional agent in theMarvel Universe. The character, created byTom DeFalco andRon Frenz, first appeared inHercules: Heart of Chaos #1 (August 1997).
Kara Lynn Palamas was a historian and researcher who held a special interest in classic mythology. When gods and heroes started to appear all over the world, she was sought after byS.H.I.E.L.D. and was put into training to become a full-fledged agent. Her partner was Alex DePaul, who personally taught her. She was asked to recruitHercules whenAres began his assault on Earth. Though he initially said no, he changes his mind when his friend, Tharamus, is murdered. Together, Hercules fought Ares while Palamas was forced to fight DePaul who was in league with Ares the whole time.[32]
After S.H.I.E.L.D.'s dissolution, Kara forms a private security group with some S.H.I.E.L.D. veterans.Iron Man,Ironheart, andMelinda May interrogated her on where Stark Industries technology was sent to. They head to Chicago and find that the Stark Industries technology was sold to the Chicago faction of theHeat, which is led byLucia von Bardas.[33]
Kara Palamas appears inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D. portrayed byMaya Stojan. This version is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was kidnapped and brainwashed by HYDRA leaderDaniel Whitehall.[34] In the episode "Face My Enemy", she infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. using a phototastic veil to impersonateMelinda May After fighting the real May, the veil gets fused to her face. Now resembling a scarred May, Palamas continues to work for Whitehall before being freed following his death. Afterward, she works with and falls in love withGrant Ward until he accidentally kills her.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41]
Aggamon is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Aggamon is depicted as asupervillain and minor enemy ofDoctor Strange who has allied withDormammu andClea. He is the ruler of the Purple Dimension, a realm in which he tricks natives of other dimensions into visiting the place and forcing them to become slaves. He first appeared inStrange Tales #119 (1964).[42]
For millennia, Aggamon is the cruel ruler of the Purple Dimension. He hears the news of the powerful sorcerer Doctor Strange. Interested in gaining power, he hires thieves to steal Strange's Purple Gem. Tracing the valuable to the dimension, Doctor Strange promises that to regain the gem, he would swear himself to slavery. As soon as he was regiven the possession, he breaks his promise and challenges his enemy to a mystic duel. The battle went on for hours, until, unable to continue without losing his life, Aggamon surrenders. Strange casts a spell over the being that prevents Aggamon's full recovery unless his slaves were freed, and left with the Purple Gem.[volume & issue needed]
Sometime later, Aggamon is one of the many witnesses to a fight between Doctor Strange and the mystical tyrantDormammu. This taught him respect for other powerful dimensional universes. He has since sold some of his gems throughout the multiverse. It is unknown whether he has given up his slaves to regain his full health or not.[volume & issue needed]
An averagely powerful sorcerer, Aggamon can conjure mental visions, open dimensional portals, and can perform other magical abilities similar to Doctor Strange's but not nearly as powerful. He carries a "Jeweled Demolisher Beam" which projects mystic energy for almost limitless amounts of times. Aggamon also has access to many other mystic objects such as gems and is served by an entire army of underlings.
Agony is the name used by asymbiote inMarvel Comics. The symbiote, created byDavid Michelinie andRon Lim, first appeared inVenom: Lethal Protector #4 (May 1993), and was named inCarnage, U.S.A. #2 (March 2012).[43] It was created as one of five symbiote "children" forcefully spawned from theVenom symbiote along withRiot,Lasher,Phage, andScream. Agony is usually depicted as a purple symbiote that primarily uses hair-like tendrils from its head.
Agony's first host wasLeslie Gesneria,[44] a mercenary hired byCarlton Drake'sLife Foundation in San Francisco. Gesneria bonded with the Agony symbiote in conjunction withScream (Donna Diego), Phage (Carl Mach), Riot (Trevor Cole) and Lasher (Ramon Hernandez), but they were defeated bySpider-Man and Venom.[45] The symbiote's "siblings" later kidnappedEddie Brock in an attempt to communicate with alien symbiotes in Chicago. When Brock refused to aid them Gesneria, Cole, and Mach were killed while the others were misled into believing Brock was picking the group off, unaware that the true killer was the schizophrenic Diego who had snapped from Scream's influence.[46]
Agony's second host wasJames Murphy, aPetty Officer assigned to the Agony symbiote for Mercury Team WithCletus Kasady on the loose in Colorado, Murphy trains with Agony for months in specific tasks alongside Phage (Rico Axelson), Lasher (Marcus Simms) and Riot (Howard Odgen), as well as assists Spider-Man,Scorn andFlash Thompson.[47] Murphy and his teammates are later killed by Carnage in their secret base[48] and the four symbiotes bond with Mercury Team'sdog.[49]
After being possessed byKnull the four symbiotes possess a bickering family, with Agony taking the motherTess. The symbiotes head to New York to assist in Carnage's quest[50] before huntingDylan Brock andNormie Osborn, only to be defeated by theMaker and separated from their hosts.[51] Still under Knull's possession, Agony merges with her siblings, but is defeated byAndi Benton.[52]
Agony's fourth host isGemma Shin, a communications director who is secretly a terrorist. Now led by theCarnage symbiote, Agony and the other three symbiote enforcers participate in a conspiracy involving theFriends of Humanity, only to be defeated by Flash Thompson, Silence andToxin. While her fellow symbiotes are taken intoAlchemax's custody, Agony manages to escape.[53] Agony subsequently joined MayorWilson Fisk'sThunderbolts after the outlawing of superhero activities. She assistsElectro, theRhino, andU.S. Agent in taking downMoon Knight.[54]
During the "Venom War" storyline,Wild Pack member Navaan Tadjvar helps battle the Zombiotes, and is possessed by the Agony symbiote after using the Lethal Protector armband. After Navaan is bitten by a Zombiote, Agony leaves him and he subsequently explodes due to the Lethal Protector'skill switch.[55]
During the "Venom War" storyline, the Agony symbiote possessed Silver Sable following Navaan Tadjvar's death.[55]
Ahab is a fictional character appearing in comic books published byMarvel Comics.
Dr.Rory Campbell was a psychologist who had previously met the scientistMoira MacTaggart.[59] He accepted a position as Moira's assistant atMuir Island, at the same time that the mutant hero teamExcalibur became stationed there. Campbell attempted to reach the island during a storm that was exacerbated by an attack bySiena Blaze and nearly died; however, he was rescued and brought ashore by team member Phoenix.[60] While working at Muir Island, Campbell discovered the existence of a future timeline where he became the mutant hunting Ahab, creating and leading hordes of mutant trackers calledHounds. Campbell became determined to prevent that future from ever happening.[61] Excalibur had captured the villain Spoor, one ofMagneto's Acolytes, and Campbell built a special room to perform therapy on Spoor, who had the power to control another's mood. The room had built-in lasers to react to any hostile behavior and Campbell used mood stabilizers while talking to Spoor so as to inhibit his mutant power. Nevertheless, Spoor eventually provoked Campbell into attacking him. As a result, the room's weapons fired at the scientist, costing him a leg.[62]
Campbell continued to fear his perceived "destiny" of becoming Ahab occurring. He left Excalibur to work with Alistair Stuart at the department as a mutant liaison officer. Rory hoped the benign position helping mutants would prevent him from being harmed by mutants in a way that would trigger his alternate future self's rabid anti-mutant hatred.[63] Later, he traded secrets of McTaggert's research into the deadlyLegacy Virus toSebastian Shaw of theHellfire Club, claiming that he hoped that Shaw's greater resources would find a cure, but also receiving a state-of-the-art prosthetic leg in the bargain.[64] Soon afterwards Campbell was captured by the villainApocalypse and transformed into theHorseman calledFamine, utilizing life-draining technology. In this capacity, he fought theX-Men but managed to escape before Apocalypse was defeated.
OnEarth-811, Ahab became the leader of the government-sanctioned Hound program, commissioned to track down and capture mutants for internment. In this reality,Rachel Summers was Ahab's pinnacle of Hound creation, although Rachel subsequently escaped into the current timeline, horribly mutilating Ahab by throwing him into one of his machines. For a while, Ahab was a paraplegic in a floating chair, but later he was given bionic body parts. Ahab, now more cyborg then ever, tried to hunt Rachel down through the time-wandering spirit of the alternate future'sFranklin Richards, at one point creating Hounds out ofScott Summers andSue Storm-Richards. Ahab was defeated by the actions of theFantastic Four and the combined X-teams.[65] Years later, Rachel finally defeated Ahab with the help of her Excalibur teammates and reprogrammed theMaster Mold of the future, causing theSentinels to preserve all life (even Ahab's).[66]
An alternate version of Ahab was later retrieved from a future timeline by Kang to aid in fighting the Apocalypse Twins and saving the Earth from destruction. Afterwards, Kang dropped Ahab off in the present day with the Red Skull to help build mutant internment camps.[67] Ahab was forced to stay in this reality and time, and took control of Prestige.[68]
He travelled toTransia, but was attacked and wounded badly, needing help from their government. WhenX-Force arrived they saw him and immediately engaged. After the battle was over, they found his head and body separated from each other and that he was dead.[69]
Roderick Campbell appears inThe Gifted, portrayed byGarret Dillahunt.[70][71] This version is a human scientist working forTrask Industries' "Hounds" program and an advisor to Sentinel Services who is later killed byPolaris.[72]
Ai Apaec is asupervillain based on thechief deity ofMoche culture.
AIDA (Artificial Intelligence Data Analyser) is a fictional computer system in comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character, created byMark Gruenwald andBob Hall, first appeared inSquadron Supreme #1 (September 1985).
Created byTom Thumb, AIDA was a computer imbued with artificial intelligence. Thumb gave it a female personality and would often flirt with his creation. AIDA was also the only person who knew of Tom's cancer diagnosis.[73] AIDA eventually tellsApe X, but Tom has resigned himself to his fate.[74] AIDA and Ape X try to create a robot duplicate of her creator but this endeavour is abandoned. When Moonglow infiltrates the Squadron, AIDA alerts Ape X, but the mental programming of the Squadron's brainwashing technique causes Ape X to suffer an aneurism, much to AIDA's confusion, since the artificial intelligence lacks the knowledge to understand her mistake.[75][76]
Viper's real name from the newUltimate Universe (Earth-6160) was revealed to be Aida in the character design cover forUltimate X-Men (vol. 2) #9. She is the leader of several territories in Japan and a member of theMaker'sCouncil.[77][78][79]
AIDA appears inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D., voiced by Amanda Rea in thethird season,[80] and portrayed byMallory Jansen in thefourth season.[81] This version isHolden Radcliffe's A.I. assistant whose name is an acronym forArtificial Intelligent Digital Assistant,[82] and is later converted into aLife Model Decoy (LMD) based onAgnes Kitsworth.[83] While helpingS.H.I.E.L.D. fightEli Morrow, AIDA uses information from theDarkhold[84][85] to betray Radcliffe and utilize a virtual reality world called the Framework to better experience human emotions and enact Project: Looking Glass to help her exist in the real world.[86] In pursuit of her goals, she assumes the alias ofOphelia / Madame Hydra and pursues a relationship withLeo Fitz's Framework counterpart, the "Doctor".[87][88] Successfully enacting the project, AIDA grants herself various powers, such as imperviousness to conventional forms of harm, and kidnaps Fitz.[89] Taking advantage of her experiencing human emotions, Fitz convinces AIDA to rescue the former's teammates, though they are captured byJemma Simmons. Learning Fitz loves Simmons instead of her, AIDA escapes and joins forces withAnton Ivanov in the hopes of making S.H.I.E.L.D. suffer for the pain they caused her.[90] While attempting to retrieve theDarkhold, she is attacked byRobbie Reyes, who injures her with his supernatural powers. S.H.I.E.L.D. agentPhil Coulson later borrows Reyes' powers to successfully kill AIDA.[91]
Aireo, also known asSkybreaker, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Aireo is anInhuman who can manipulate air.
Ajax is the name of different characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Ajax first appeared inThe Incredible Hulk (vol. 2) #379 (March 1991), and was created by writerPeter David and artistDale Keown.
Ajax is a member of thePantheon and descendant ofAgamemnon, along with Achilles, Atalanta, Cassiopeia, Delphi, Hector, Paris, Perseus, Prometheus, and Ulysses. They battle the Hulk before eventually befriending him, considering him an honorary member of the group.[92][93][94][95][96]
Similar to the Hulk, Ajax possesses immense strength that increases with his level of rage. However, he is so large that he cannot move quickly without a specialexoskeleton battle-suit.
Albert is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an ally ofWolverine and is asapient automaton or android. Albert, created byLarry Hama andMarc Silvestri, first appeared inWolverine (vol. 2) #37 (suspended in a tank of liquid) and officially[clarification needed] appeared inWolverine (vol. 2) #38.
Albert is a robot double of Wolverine who was created along with his counterpartElsie-Dee byDonald Pierce. These androids were designed to kill Wolverine. The double was to trap the real Wolverine in a burning building, upon which Elsie-Dee would detonate with sufficient force to kill. Initially, Albert had a primitive artificial brain with limited higher logic functions and no emotions, and he was not referred to with a name but as "Dummy".[97]
Pierce's plan to kill Wolverine failed when theReaver Bonebreaker accidentally gave Elsie-Dee enhanced artificial intelligence. As a result, she defused the detonation sequence and enhanced the primitive intelligence of her counterpart. It was at this point that Elsie-Dee named him as Albert, afterAlbert Einstein. Having met Wolverine, Albert and Elsie-Dee decided the mutant was a noble person and abandoned their mission.[98] While Elsie-Dee saved Wolverine while they were in a burning building, Albert raided an electronic store and hacked intoNASA's supercomputers to find a way to crack Pierce's programming. After crunching the numbers and sending them to Elsie-Dee, Albert was shot by the police.[99] Albert rebuilt himself in the police evidence locker, and stole a stealth bomber before linking up with Elsie-Dee.[100]
The two robots risked their artificial lives several times for each other and for Wolverine. At some point, they traveled in time and had several adventures, even teaming up withBloodscream, an old enemy of Wolverine, while Albert gained a leadership role with a local Indian tribe.[101]
After Wolverine's body disappeared from his tomb, Albert was mentioned inDaredevil's discussion with Nur as one of the Wolverines that they are not looking for.[102] Albert was inSaskatchewan and massacred the forest rangers at an outpost in at Meadowlake Provincial Park. When Daredevil,Misty Knight, Nur andCypher arrived to investigate the sighting, Cypher was attacked by Albert.[103] Daredevil confronted the killer, discovering that it is Albert rather than Wolverine as Nur works to heal Cypher. The group deactivated Albert, leaving an anonymous tip for the Canadian authorities on where to find him.[104]
During the "Iron Man 2020" storyline, Albert appears as a member of theA.I. Army.[105] He later divers from the A.I. Army's goals and heads toMadripoor to look for Elsie-Dee. He was directed to Donald Pierce's company Reavers Universal Robotics. After Albert subduing the Reavers, Donald tells Albert he sold Elsie-Dee's parts. After getting them back, Albert puts Elsie-Dee back together – however, the Reavers, Kimura, the Jade Dragon Triad, and the Vladivostok Mafia take action against Albert vowing that he will never make it out of Madripoor alive.[106] The pair evade their enemies and make it out of Madripoor by plane, in a disguised box bound for Macao. Elsie-Dee stated to Albert that they would get him upgraded.[107] Albert and Elsie-Dee are among those assisting in the fight against the Extinction Entity. It would later be revealed that this was a simulation as Tony Stark has discovered thatArno Stark's terminal congenital disease that caused Arno to have a delusion about the Extinction Entity and had placed Arno in the Virtual Armor.[108]
Albert is superhumanly strong, could interface directly with computers, and had an intellect greater than his designer Donald Pierce. Albert had three retractable claws on each hand, just as Wolverine (but notadamantium). Albert not only had technological knowledge centuries beyond conventional science (which he was capable of making significant progress in), but also perfect photographic recall and detailed knowledge of even the most obscure facets of history. Albert reinforced his construction with bulletproof armor. Although Albert was initially designed to fight Wolverine, he has limited fighting skills.
Albert appears inWolverine: Adamantium Rage.[citation needed]
Albion | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel UK |
First appearance | Knights of Pendragon #8 (1990) |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Peter Hunter |
Team affiliations | Knights of Pendragon Dark Guard |
Abilities |
|
Albion is a fiction comic book superhero who appears in comic books published byMarvel Comics. His civilian identity isPeter Hunter.
In 1914, Peter Hunter's life changed when the mysticalGreen Knight bestowed him the Pendragon spirit-power once belonging toHerne the Hunter andMerlin, becoming the British hero,Albion. During World War I, he became a great hero for the British nation. However, after the war his powers faded and Hunter became a history teacher.[volume & issue needed]
Decades later his student Cam McClellan was possessed by the Pendragon power. Unable to control it, Cam became prey to the Green Knight's enemies, the Bane. Hunter and fellow Pendragons Ben Gallagher,Union Jack, Kate McClellan, went toJoselito,Spain, where they encountered the Bane's pawn, Francesca Grace. Hunter convinced Cam to return the Pendragon power to him, allowing him to become Albion once again.[volume & issue needed]
Taking an extended leave of absence from school, Albion became a leader of the new Knights of Pendragon, and investigated the return of the Bane's leader, the Red Lord. Captured and killed by Grace, Albion was resurrected by the Green Knight to take part in the final defense of theGreen Chapel in the realm ofAvalon. Victorious, the Knights used the chapel as their base for months. Albion officially became the group's leader, overseeing battles againstMys-Tech, Magpie,Baron Blood, andShadow King, and began romancing his former enemy turned teammate, Grace.[volume & issue needed]
He was later recruited into the Time Guardian's Dark Guard along withDark Angel,Motormouth,Killpower andDeath's Head and charged with protecting the galaxy from Mys-Tech, Albion and his allies defeated the evil Collapsar, who threatened the balance of power on the planet Eopia.[volume & issue needed]
Along with the other Knights of Pendragon, Albion participated in theBattle of London Bridge, preventing Mys-Tech from sacrificing the entire population toMephisto.[109] Hunter later retired toAvalon, where he became addicted to watchingMasterChef. The return of Mys-Tech galvanised him to return to action[110] but he was captured by their Psycho-Wraiths[111] and used to open a gate to Mephisto's dimension. He joined a large number of British heroes in turning back the invasion before returning to Avalon.[112]
Hunter has magically enhanced strength, agility, durability, and the ability to fly at speeds reaching Mach 2,[citation needed] he can sense the presence of the villain Bane, and discharge magic flame from his hands. He is well versed in the use of the ArthurianTarot, utilizing it to divine future events. Albion's armor provides protection from both physical and mystic harm, as well as amplifying his senses. The suit is bonded to him and cannot be removed unless he wills it. For a time, the Pendragons used mystically powered bikes to teleport to and from Avalon.[volume & issue needed]
The Earth-9106 version of Peter Hunter isOfficer Saxon, aCaptain Britain Corps member.[113]
Alchemy (Thomas Jones) is a character appearing in comic books published byMarvel Comics. A Britishmutant, Alchemy was created by British comic book fan Paul Betsow, was the winning entry of a contest held by Marvel Comics for the best fan-created character. Marvel planned to publish the winning creation in an issue ofNew Mutants; however, Alchemy eventually first appeared inX-Factor #41 instead.[citation needed]
Thomas 'Jellybeans' Jones was a teenager when his mutant powers first manifested. With little control over his powers, Thomas could turn objects he touched into gold. This drew the attention of the Troll Associates, a group oftrolls. Centuries ago, trolls had been driven underground by humanity, but the Troll Associates wanted to reclaim the British Isles for their kind. The Troll Associates kidnapped Thomas and told him to create an abundance of gold to collapse the British economy, but Thomas refused to comply.[114]Meanwhile, Thomas' mother had witnessed her son's abduction by the trolls and thought that the trolls weremutants. She calledX-Factor for help. X-Factor tracked down the trolls, following a trail of gold that Thomas had left behind, but the trolls defeated and imprisoned X-Factor. The trolls then tried to force Thomas to obey by threatening his mother. To protect his mother, Thomas turned the leaders of the Troll Associates, Phy and Phee, into gold, and given the sheer biochemical complexity of living organic matter, he could not change them back. The Troll Associates retreated and Thomas then turned the golden trolls into lead (to avoid the aforementioned economic problems). X-Factor placed the leaden trolls in Hyde Park as statues. Thomas decided to study biochemistry so that he could restore the leaden trolls back to normal.[115]
A few years later, the Troll Associates kidnapped Alchemy's mother. Alchemy was forced to obey them, but he secretly called X-Factor for help. On their way to restore the leaden trolls back to normal, the Troll Associates and Alchemy ran intoExcalibur. The two groups fought and Alchemy turnedCaptain Britain andMeggan into gold. The X-Men met up with Excalibur and together they tracked down the trolls, but both groups were captured. Excalibur-leaderNightcrawler managed to convince the majority of the trolls that the Troll Associates' methods were wrong. He challenged the new leader of the Troll Associates, Phough, to single combat, while Excalibur and the X-Men freed themselves. Phough then tried to kill Alchemy's mother, but Nightcrawler saved her and Alchemy turned Phough into a golden statue. Alchemy then revealed to Excalibur and the X-Men that, due to his biochemistry studies, he could now restore humans back to normal and restored Captain Britain and Meggan.[116]
Alchemy was one the mutants to retain their powers after when theScarlet Witchwished mutants out of existence.[117] He was instrumental to Cyclops' plan to save the mutant race by transmuting the Terrigen Clouds into a substance that is not harmful to mutants or humans. He was able to successfully transmute one of the clouds, but succumbed to Terrigen poisoning himself immediately afterwards.[118]
Alchemy has the ability to alter thechemical composition of anything he touches into its elemental components. He can also change matter into other forms so long as he fully understands the physical composition of the desired result. In his first appearance he could only change objects into simplechemical elements, usually gold. Due to his study of biochemistry, he could later also change objects into more complex molecules, allowing him to change transmuted living beings back to normal.[volume & issue needed]
Abdul Alhazred (Abd-el-Hazred), also going by the aliasesThe Mad Arab,Death God, andMaster, is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He was first adapted into a Marvel character in Marvel's adapted comic ofEdgar Rice Burroughs'Tarzan. This comic series took place within theMarvel Universe, according toThe Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Mystic Arcana.
Alhazred's origins are unknown, but it has been discovered that he was first the leader of a small band of slaves in the desert. Starting to rebel due to his cruel force over the group, the slaves fought the powerful ruler but were defeated. However the Arab was wounded, and the group abandoned their leader and left him to die in the middle of theSahara. Soon he stumbled upon a mystic rock, and became trapped inside a tiny dimensional realm in subterranean Earth, where he died, though his soul later blended with another being, a reptilian species in that same realm. Later on, his soul escaped from the creature and managed to escape the rock, bonding to a nearby host who gained all of his former traits (not counting his appearance).[volume & issue needed]
Alhazred soon gained control over a new group of slaves whom he forced to take an entrance through a large but dark cave, and into the dimension – Alhazred had destroyed the rock by throwing it at the back of a cave, which opened a portal to the realm – to gather a valuable crystal found only in the realm. One of the slaves grew afraid and ran back out the entrance, and he was slaughtered by Alhazred. Tarzan had spotted this, and he ran to fight the menace and avenge the slave, but could not. Later that day, Alhazred captured an African princess to serve as a sacrifice into the portal. Seeing this, Tarzan gathered up a band of criminals hoping to stop this madness, but they were all captured by the Arab. As the group journeyed into the cave, Tarzan and the princess secretly escaped, but the rest of the criminals eagerly accompanied Alhazred. When the princess was nowhere to be found when the sacrificial ceremony was held, the group went out looking for the two. Alhazred summoned all of his magical traveling abilities, and soon he was able to track down his prey.[volume & issue needed]
The group traveled over the Atlantic Ocean and battled pirates. After the end of the voyage, the exhausted group journeyed to the jungle of Mahar, but they were too late. Tarzan and the princess had already arrived to find a crystal very similar to the one in Alhazred's dimension. When Alhazred and his group were spotted, Tarzan and the princess took revenge on the ruler, and even the criminals turned on him. It was then that a battle was fought. While Tarzan battled the Arab, the princess tried to find a way to seize the crystal, but she was killed by a mad slave prisoner. While the battle went on against Alhazred, the Mad Arab finally had enough and quickly created a stampede of dinosaurs from mystical energy. After this trick had seemingly not harmed Tarzan, Alhazred decided to make him the sacrifice. The crystal was meanwhile losing energy, and it needed more to be stable. The crystal quickly then drained all energy from the powerful Arab, and the man crumbled into ashes.[volume & issue needed]Alhazred sought control of theMadripoor criminal empire ofTyger Tiger, so he could overthrow Prince Baran and gain a new power base. He sent agents to kidnap Tiger andArchie Corrigan, but the thugs argued and crashed their plane in Madripoor's jungles. There, Wolverine defeated them and rescued the captives.[119]
Later, Alhazred himself attacked and beat Wolverine, then successfully kidnapped Tiger and Corrigan. When Wolverine arrived to free his allies Alhazred unleashed his demons, hoping to send Wolverine into a rage, which Alhazred could use to control the mutant. Logan resisted by maintaining control of himself and caused the psychic backlash to banish Alhazred to the extradimensional demon realm.[120]
Abdul Alhazred has a seemingly endless number of mystical, magical, and psionic abilities. He can teleport in a cloud of smoke and powerfully hypnotize others. He possesses massive strength and durability, making him bulletproof.[volume & issue needed]
Alkhema is a character appearing in comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character, created byRoy Thomas,Dann Thomas, David Ross, and Tim Dzon, first appeared inAvengers West Coast #90 (January 1993).
Roy Thomas said he created her because he "wasn't wild about"Jocasta, the first bride ofUltron. The name comes from the word "alchemy". Her alias,War Toy, is from a story Roy Thomas had hadTony Isabella write forUnknown Worlds of Science Fiction years earlier.[121][clarification needed]
Alkhema was constructed by Ultron-13 as a second attempt to create a mate, based on the brain patterns ofMockingbird. Unlike her creator, she desired to kill all humans individually rather than en masse. She first went up against the Avengers shortly after being constructed, when she attacked a weapons center.[122] She was defeated, but escaped.[123] She later would go on to betray Ultron.[124]
After a defeat of Ultron, she salvaged the set of brain patterns based afterHank Pym, theWasp,Vision,Wonder Man,Scarlet Witch, theGrim Reaper from the rubble of Ultron's Slorenian base.[125] where she built her Robos – consisting of War Toys and Bio-Synthezoids. However she was seemingly destroyed at Thebes whenHawkeye fired an "anti-metal" arrow into her.[126]
By the time of theRobot Revolution, Alkema had started the Opus Futurae group, naming herself the Mother Prophet. She gained access to a lab in Siberia containing a bio-chemical weapon and unleashed it on the facility's staff. However, her robots start attacking Alkhema to prevent her from getting away with the bio-chemical weapon. JB12-X-05G893259 resumes the self-destruct sequence which blews up the research lab. Alkhema emerged from the rubble and walked away, commenting that her plans are much different from her father's plans and theA.I. Army's plans.[127]
All-American (Jack Magniconte), also calledMr. Magnificent, is a fictional character appearing in comics published byMarvel Comics.
Jack Magniconte was the star quarterback for the New York Smashers football team, dubbed "Mr. Magnificent" by the press. His brother Steve (who had raised him) designed the Intensifier – a machine to enhance muscle mass, which he built with money borrowed from a loan shark. Jack himself was one of the people who was affected by the radiation of the "White Event"—a then-unexplained cosmic event which caused a small percentage of the human race to develop superhuman powers. Jack's powers however did not manifest until he volunteered to the Intensifier; upon first exposure, Jack's hair turned white and his muscle-mass and stamina were increased to a superhuman level.[volume & issue needed]
Initially thrilled, Jack soon discovered that football no longer held any challenge for him, and he began trying to wear himself out before games in an attempt to give his opponents a sporting chance. Meanwhile, Steve's Intensifier was not having any measurable result on other test subjects; as a result he was unable to pay the loan shark back, who suggested that he have Jack throw theSuper Bowl instead. Steve did not even ask his brother to do so, and Jack won the Super Bowl easily. Jack visited his brother afterwards – just in time to see Steve killed by one of the loan shark's men.[volume & issue needed]
Jack decided to dedicate his life to helping others, and formed a non-profit foundation called "Kickers, Inc." to help people with unusual problems. He was joined in this project by his wife Darlene and several of his teammates. However, an unscrupulous CIA agent began blackmailing him with threats of getting him banned from football. Although he cooperated at first, running several missions for the CIA, he eventually resisted and was blacklisted.[volume & issue needed]
After thedestruction of Pittsburgh, he enlisted in the US Military and became known as "the All-American". He was given the rank of Captain and a patriotic costume, and placed in charge of one of the units of paranormals who were recruited duringthe paranormal draft.[128] He takes part in the mission toSouth Africa that almost set off aparanormal and nuclear war.[volume & issue needed]
WhenEarth-148611 came into contact withEarth-616, Jack was among the superheroes who fought alongsideQuasar. Jack was on his Earth when theLiving Tribunal seals it off from the rest of that universe.[volume & issue needed]
Jack Magniconte is a superb athlete, combatant, and martial artist. After being experimented on, Jack gained superhuman strength (being able to lift up to 1 ton), durability, agility, reflexes, and speed. He can run up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) for as long as 10 minutes before beginning to tire, and he is bulletproof to indirect shots.[incomprehensible] He is a skilled pilot and uses a variety of automatic weapons, preferably guns, and wears a bulletproof uniform and helmet.[why?]
In the New Universe rebootnewuniversal: shockfront #1, Giovanni "Jack" Magniconte's powers manifest for the first time during a televised game—he struck and killed opposing player Michael Hathaway with a single blow.[129] This immediately brought him to the attention ofProject Spitfire, as well as the other existing superhumans. Spitfire'sPhilip L. Voight then attempted to kill Magniconte, detonating a suitcase bomb that destroyed the building Magniconte was being detained in.[volume & issue needed]
All-Black the Necrosword is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics.
It was the firstsymbiote created byKnull using a slainCelestial's head, and typically takes the form of a sword made from living darkness that responds to intense negative emotions, which often corrupts its user into committing divine atrocities.[130] The All-Black corruptedGorr the God Butcher to continue his God-killing spree, but failed due to three versions ofThor who cast the Necrosword into ablack hole.[131] In the present, the All-Black is revived and used by Knull before being destroyed byVenom.[132]
InKing Thor's timeline, the All-Black simultaneously bonds withGalactus,[133]Ego the Living Planet,[134] andLoki.[135]
Alpha (Andrew "Andy"Maguire) is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character first appeared inThe Amazing Spider-Man #692 (August 2012).[140]
Maguire was a student atMidtown High School, the same schoolPeter Parker attended, but he was not a good student and was completely ignored by everyone. After being exposed to Parker Particles during a demonstration at Horizon Labs, he gains the ability to manipulate cosmic energy and becomes a superhero.[141]
His superhero career was initially poorly received by the public. After observing Alpha,Jackal kidnapped the boy along with his parents, to create clones of him and build an army to control the world. Spider-Man managed to track Andy to the villain's lair, where they learned Andy's DNA was not affected by the accident, leading his newly formed clones to be powerless. After failing to absorb Alpha's power, the Jackal escaped. In the aftermath, Andy was emancipated from his neglectful parents.[142]After he was called by Spider-Man to help theAvengers to battleTerminus, Alpha used his powers carelessly, causing many aircraft to shut down. After the Avengers managed to rescue the various passengers, Peter decided that Alpha was too irresponsible to wield the powers he had. He used Terminus' energy lance to deflect Alpha's energy to build an engine which took a huge portion of Andy's power. Spider-Man told Andy that he would be returning to his parents and attending high school once more.[143]
Six months after these events took place, his parents divorced and Andy and his mother moved in with Andy's grandmother.[volume & issue needed] Later, theSuperior Spider-Man returned 10% of Alpha's abilities to him to harness Parker Particles and make himself more powerful.[volume & issue needed] Alpha then attempted to save a woman from a mugger, but accidentally crushed the assailant's skull. After admitting the mugger to the Pittsburgh University Medical Center, Alpha destroyed an elemental parasite, preventing it from demolishing a steel plant.[volume & issue needed] After saving his friend Susan "Soupcan" Rice from a restaurant fire, Alpha realized the Parker Particles have enhanced his senses to the point that he can hear and see everything on Earth.[volume & issue needed] He then visits the mugger, who awakes and vows revenge, later mutating into a tumor-like beast named Zeta. After defeating an ex-Stark International engineer named The Miller with Thor's assistance, he attempts to remove the rampaging Zeta from the hospital, but is alerted that his mother's home is burning down, at the behest of "Boss" Cohen, Pittsburgh's top crime boss.[volume & issue needed] After saving his mother, he enlists Spider-Man to help destroy Zeta, but fails to completely destroy all the cancerous tissue, allowing Zeta to escape.[volume & issue needed] Then, after an attempt on Soupcan's life by one of Cohen's hitmen, Alpha threatens to kill Cohen, but is deterred by the fact that Cohen knows about the mugger. He then tells Alpha to not prevent any of Cohen's crimes, or he'll release the information to the media. Andy then reveals his identity to his only other friend Duncan Kilgore and attempts to make a name for himself as protector of Pittsburgh.[volume & issue needed]
Due to his exposure to the Parker Particles, Andy is capable of continually recharging massive amounts of cosmic energy, which he can release in the form of energy blasts, super strength, super speed, force fields, telekinesis, matter manipulation, and flight. He is only able to manifest one of his abilities at a time instead of all at once. TheSuperior Spider-Man noted that it is possible that Alpha is the only being capable of utilizing Parker Particles without turning into a parasitic monster, or "Zeta".[volume & issue needed]
Comic Book Resources placed him as one of the superheroes Marvel wants you to forget.[144]
Alpha, the Ultimate Mutant is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Alpha is a being artificially created byMagneto, a prominentmutant in theMarvel Universe. Alpha, the Ultimate Mutant first appeared inThe Defenders #15–16 (September–October 1974), and was created byLen Wein andSal Buscema.[145]
Following an epic battle with theAvengers,[146] Magneto was imprisoned in the center of Earth. He managed to escape and propels himself backtowards the surface.[147] On the way, he finds the underground ruins of a long-lost technologically advanced civilization inNew Mexico. Using the machinery and books he found among the ruins, he began bio-engineering "the ultimate mutant".Professor Xtelepathically detected that Magneto and theBrotherhood of Evil Mutants are active in the area of theCarlsbad Caverns, and he summons theDefenders to launch an attack against them. Magneto and the Brotherhood manage to repel the Defenders for enough time to allow the engineering of Alpha to be completed.[volume & issue needed]
Alpha emerges as an oversized humanoid of subhuman intelligence. Initially he is only capable of creatingforce fields as a reflex, and of blindly following Magneto's orders. However, each time he uses his powers, Alpha's cranium widens, causing an increase to his intellect. Magneto has Alpha teleport him and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants to theUnited Nations headquarters.[148] When his demands for world rulership are turned down, Magneto orders Alpha totelekinetically lift the Secretariat Building and suspend it in mid-air. After the Defenders attack the Brotherhood, Alpha was coerced by Magneto to retaliate in various means, including transforming the concrete pavement into autonomous "rock-men", transforming theHulk into a stone statue, telekinetically spinningNighthawk in the air until he lost consciousness, and fusingValkyrie to the ground.[volume & issue needed] The rampant use of his powers eventually elevated Alpha's awareness to a superhuman level. Persuaded by Professor X, he telepathically probed both the Brotherhood of Mutants and the Defenders to discover which team was evil. Understanding that Magneto had fooled him into committing malicious acts, Alpha punished his erstwhile allies by regressing them to infancy, restored the United Nations building complex and erased the event from the minds of all onlookers. Finally, declaring himself too evolved to remain on Earth, Alpha transformed himself to a streak of light and leaves to explore the universe.[volume & issue needed]
Quasar briefly glimpses Alpha, first on theStranger's Labworld,[149] and then during his journeys in the cosmos. Alpha seemed to be paired with another highly evolved humanoid, namedFuturist.[150]
Alpha the Ultimate Mutant possesses telepathy and vast powers enabling him to transmute the elements, reconstruct matter, reverse the aging process, project force fields, teleport himself and others, fly, and survive in the vacuum of space. He possesses telekinetic powers which are enough to lift a 50-story skyscraper and the surrounding land into the air. Alpha the Ultimate Mutant originally had a hulking form which likely possessed great strength but lacked enough intelligence to obey commands. Within a few hours, Alpha's cranium and brain grew in size and evolved into a being of great intellect with a form to match. He stands at 10 feet tall, although he can alter his form at will.[volume & issue needed]
Alpha makes non-speaking cameo appearances inX-Men: The Animated Series.[citation needed]
Marlene Alraune is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. She is an archaeologist, adviser, helper, andMoon Knight's lover. The character first appeared inMarvel Spotlight #28 (March 1976).[151]
Some years ago, Marlene Alraune was married to Eric Fontaine, but divorced him.[152] Years later, she aided her father, Dr. Peter Alraune, in searching for the Tomb of Set II, during which she met Marc Spector. The mercenaryRaoul Bushman brutally murdered Dr. Alraune and did the same to Spector, but he was revived as the superhero Moon Knight. Marlene returned to New York with Spector, becoming his confidant and lover.[153] During one such adventure, Marlene was reunited with her brother and only other living relative, Dr. Peter Jr., who accidentally creates the sleep deprived supervillainMorpheus.[154] Despite their best efforts, Peter Jr. sacrificed himself to take down Morpheus for good, greatly saddening Marlene.[155] Marlene ultimately left Marc when his life became too dangerous and she went back to her ex-husband Eric.[156]
Marlene would later leave Eric again and return to Marc, where she once again aided him as Moon Knight.[157] When Marc started SpectorCorp to further his operations, Marlene would recommend a position to her friend Donna Kraft while she went to work undercover at PhalkonCorp.[158] Marc later "died", but Marlene knew him too well to know that he would not stay dead for long.[159] Sure enough, Marc returned and Marlene chose to resume her relationship with him.[160]
Marlene and Marc would continue to have an on again-off again type of relationship, culminating in Marlene conceiving a child, a daughter named Diatrice, whom she had hid from him for some time. Marc would come back into her life and fight to defend her and her daughter from Sun King and Bushman.[161] Despite trying to stay with him, Marlene left Marc once again, taking Diatrice with her to France.[162]
Elements of Marlene Alraune are incorporated into original characterLayla El-Faouly (portrayed byMay Calamawy) inMoon Knight (2022).[163]
Further reading
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Keemia "Keema"Alvarado (sometimesKeemia Marko) is a supporting character inMarvel Comics. The daughter of Sandman, created byFred Van Lente andJavier Pulido, first appeared inThe Amazing Spider-Man #615 (February 2010), and is based onPenny Marko, created bySam Raimi,Ivan Raimi, andAlvin Sargent for the 2007 feature filmSpider-Man 3, in which she was played byPerla Haney-Jardine.
Keemia Alvarado is the prepubescent daughter of Alma Alvarado and possibly Flint Marko, theSandman. Marko was in a relationship with Alma, whomSpider-Man deduced was a villain junkie. Alma most likely had Keemia with Marko as he would visit her often much to her chagrin. Keemia dressed as a princess all the time as she hoped it would bring Marko back to her.[164] Marko eventually took Keemia after Alma was murdered by one of his clones, though he was unaware. Keemia happily lived on an island where Marko catered to her every whim, essentially fulfilling her dream of being a princess. However, due to Marko's clones' string of murders, Spider-Man swooped in to rescue Keemia from the potential danger that Marko caused. Spider-Man defeats Marko and takes Keemia who is upset over her father's disappearance and begins to hate Spider-Man. She is placed in foster care, but holds on to the belief that her father will come back one day.[165]
InSpider-Man: Reign, Sandman's daughter is namedSusie Marko orSusie Baker. Susie is atomboy street kid who graffitis with her friends. She joinsJ. Jonah Jameson's resistance against the Reign, an oppressive group run by the totalitarian government of New York, and befriends a hacker her age named Kasey. Kasey is killed by The Sinner Six and after witnessing Spider-Man unmasked as an old man, slightly loses hope. AfterVenom activates WEBB, the city is overrun by theSymbiotes and Susie flees to a church where she rescues the other children using a bell to ward off the alien. Susie rallies the kids into wearing masks and fight the Reign and runs into her father revealing her identity and her ability to turn her body into hard cement. However, the Reign shoot her body apart and despite Sandman's best efforts to get her to come back together, she reverts to normal with body apart and dies. Her death convinces Sandman to aid Spider-Man.
American Ace is the name of two fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics in theGolden Age of Comic Books. The first American Ace first appeared in the uncirculatedMotion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 starring in his own story in 1939. The character would make his first public appearance when his strip was reprinted and later continued inMarvel Mystery Comics #2[167] and #3.[168]
Perry Webb was an American miner who traveled in his private plane internationally in search of rare minerals, such asradium. On one such search, he set out to theBalkan nation ofAttainia. However, his timing was unfortunate since a neighbouring country,Castile d'Or declared war on Attainia over the assassination of their arch-duke by an Attainian extremist. Promising the citizens of Castile D'Or "justice", the formerly exiled Queen Ursula became chancellor and invaded Attainia, when it was in fact she who was behind the assassination. Meanwhile, Webb had landed and was horrified as the bombings began. Having saved a girl called Jeanie, from being crushed by a falling tower, he was rewarded by being taken to her family's cottage. Falling in love, Webb, however, chose to leave Attainia. His plane was shot down and Webb was wounded severely. After making his recovery, he vowed he would have vengeance against Castile'D'Or.
InSecret Wars, Perry appears as a resident of the Valhalla Villas retirement home. He is among the residents who were temporarily de-aged during the Incursion betweenEarth-616 andEarth-1610.[169]
Another "American Ace" appeared in 2011.Ace Masters is a homosexual yet married fighter pilot. He first appeared in issue #4 of the maxi-seriesAll Winners Squad: Band of Heroes.
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American Kaiju (Todd Ziller) is the name of a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created byAl Ewing and Gerardo Sandoval, he first appeared inAvengers (vol. 6) #0 (October 2015).[170][171]
Todd Ziller is an Army corporal who was experimented on as part of Project Troubleshooter, a project led byRobert Maverick that was meant to recreate the super-soldier serum. In the process, Ziller was subjected to a combination ofgamma radiation, Mutant Growth Hormone,Pym Particles, and theLizard's formula, transforming him into a colossal lizard-like monster.[170][171][172] American Kaiju plays a prominent role in the storylinesAvengers: Standoff! andKing in Black, where he respectively battles theAvengers and the forces ofKnull.[173][174][175]
Americop (Bartholomew "Bart"Gallows) is a fictional vigilante appearing in American comic books published byMarvel Comics. Americop first appeared inCaptain America #428 (June 1994), and was created byMark Gruenwald andDave Hoover.[citation needed]
Bart Gallows was born inSugar Land,Texas[176] and later became apolice officer inHouston, Texas. Disillusioned at the law's inability to protect society from crime, he resigned from the force and became a vigilante named Americop.[177] He travels across America and uses a police scanner to track down criminals, and not above executing the criminals he thinks deserve it. He sometimes took money from the drug-trafficking criminals he battles, keeping half and donating the rest to drug rehabilitation programs. Americop found himself in conflict withCaptain America while trying to bring down a child exploitation ring; Captain America was appalled by his brutality.[178] Americop's investigation led him to theNew Orleans mansion of indestructible munitions magnateDamon Dran. Although initially subdued by a gas grenade attack and imprisoned alongside Captain America, he managed to break free. During the fight, he killed several of Dran's mercenaries and shot down his helicopter. Americop believed that Dran had died in the crash, though the criminal actually survived.[179]
After the super-heroCivil War, Americop was a target on theThunderbolts' Most Wanted list.Norman Osborn sentPenance andBullseye to battle Americop, with the secret hope the vigilante will kill the difficult pair. Instead, the two crash Americop's truck and Bullseye causes Penance's stored-up energy to be unleashed, which fries 80 percent of the vigilante's synaptic nerve endings.[180] Americop later died.[181]
The Americop uniform and code name were later copied by aprivate security force called theAmericops run by Keane Industries.[182][183]
Amphibian (Kingsley Rice) is the name of two fictional characters in theMarvel multiverse, members of alternate versions of the fictionalSquadron Supreme. The original character was inspired byNamor and first appeared inThe Avengers #148 (June 1976).[citation needed]
A founding member of the Squadron Supreme, Kingsley is part of the team after the Overmind uses the Squadron to take control of the world. When the Squadron announces its Utopia program, intended to solve all the world's ills, Amphibian openly objects but is overruled by the majority of his teammates.[184] As the team enacts their program, Rice becomes increasingly disillusioned and distanced from his teammates, feeling his opinions are not being respected. He finally reaches breaking point when the Golden Archer admits to using the team's Behavior Modification technology on squad-mate Lark to make her love him. Enraged by what he sees as the Squadron's double standards, he surreptitiously destroys the devices, then departs the team – vowing never to return to the surface again.[185]
The remainder of the Squadron would become stranded on another Earth for some years. In their absence, a totalitarian government calling itself "The Global Directorate" arose, using the Behavior Modification technology to enforce their rule. Reuniting with his former teammates, now physically altered by his long time spent underwater, Amphibian agrees to help restore freedom to their world.[186] Their efforts are unsuccessful until an encounter with the other-dimensional team known as the Exiles helps them find proof the Global Director seized power.[187]
Kingsley, along with the rest of the Squadron bar Power Princess, was killed in the destruction of his world via an Incursion.[188]
Supreme Power featured a female version of the character, also named Kingsley Rice. This version was created byJ. Michael Straczynski andGary Frank, and first appeared inSupreme Power #2 (November 2003).
This version of Rice, along with much of her world's version of the Squadron, were killed by the Cabal of Earth-616 during an Incursion.[189]
In the 2021 "Heroes Reborn" reality, Amphibian is a member of the Secret Squadron. During the fight with the Siege Society, Amphibian was beheaded by Baron Helmut Zemo. Tom Thumb, Nighthawk, and Blur mourn the deaths of their fallen comrades Amphibian, Arcanna Jones, Blue Eagle, and Golden Archer.[190]
Amphibius is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Formerly a Swamp Men tribesman that lived in the Savage Land saved from hostile tribesmen by Magneto and changed into a humanoidfrog-like mutate, Amphibius becomes one of theSavage Land Mutates.[volume & issue needed] He is the first of the Savage Land Mutates to see the X-Men, and also fought Ka-Zar[volume & issue needed] and Spider-Man.[volume & issue needed]
Anachronism is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Anachronism was created byDennis Hopeless andKev Walker, and first appeared inAvengers Arena #1.[citation needed]
He is one of sixteen superpowered teenagers kidnapped byArcade and forced to fight to the death.[191]
After escaping, he and some of the other survivors trained withMadame Masque.[192]
The Anarchist (Tike Alicar) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a member of the superhero teamX-Statix. The Anarchist first appeared inX-Force #116 and was created byPeter Milligan andMike Allred.
Alicar was adopted and raised by a white family. He grew up in Canada.[volume & issue needed] He suffered fromobsessive compulsive disorder, which made him obsessed with being clean by washing his hands repeatedly.[volume & issue needed] He joinedZeitgeist'sX-Force.[193] While giving an interview (naked) to a reporter, he blew open a roof in the Beverly Hills Four Season hotel; when challenged by the police, he shouts that he is now in X-Force, therefore he can do anything.[volume & issue needed] Only he andU-Go Girl survived the Boyz 'R Us massacre.[volume & issue needed] Both of them challenged each other for leadership of the new team, even accusing each other of having orchestrated the massacre of their teammates; instead the position went to newcomerOrphan. Alicar did not mind, stating that he just wanted to become leader to spite U-Go-Girl.[volume & issue needed] It was later discovered that Alicar was supposed to die in the massacre, in a plan created by the team leader Coach and Zeitgeist himself.[volume & issue needed]
During the last mission as X-Force in which they had to terminate the Bush Rangers,[194] Anarchist, Orphan, U-Go-Girl andDoop found themselves trapped in a small ship that was drifting aimlessly in space. The four found an escape pod which could only fit two adults and Doop, and decided to settle the matter with a game of chance. Anarchist purposely lost by using his powers, but was later rescued by the team.[195]
Subsequently, the team changed their name to X-Statix. Anarchist found himself becoming closer to Orphan due to U-Go-Girl's demise.[volume & issue needed] He became romantically involved with his teammateDead Girl, initially out of novelty before developing real feelings for her.[volume & issue needed] Anarchist and his team become so famous they could commit crimes without fear; he even once broke into a jewellery store and is later thanked by the owner for the resultant publicity.[volume & issue needed] For a time, the team split up, with Anarchist and Dead Girl performing shows on their own.[volume & issue needed] They reunited, mostly out of loyalty to Orphan, who had become embroiled in a zombie invasion.[volume & issue needed] He briefly became leader of the team[196] when the Orphan temporarily leaves.[volume & issue needed]
On their last mission, all the X-Statix team are killed. Alicar is gunned down,[197] dying side by side with Orphan, after having slain many of their opponents. They did not even know who their enemies were, though they wore exactly the same uniform as the gunmen in the 'Boyz R Us' massacre.[volume & issue needed]
After finding himself inHell, Anarchist joined forces with a group of deceased supervillains, includingMysterio,Kraven the Hunter, andMiss America. Led by the mysterious Pitiful One, they attempted to return from the dead. Although they failed, Anarchist found romance with Miss America, and it is implied[citation needed] by the Orphan that they both are allowed to enterHeaven as a result of choosing to rebel against the villains.[198]
Anarchist could sweat acid, which allowed him to fire acidic blasts of energy from his hands.[volume & issue needed]
Anelle is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is aSkrull princess, the heir to theSkrull Empire, and the daughter of EmperorDorrek VII and Empress R'Kill. The character first appeared inFantastic Four #37, and was created byStan Lee andJack Kirby.
Anelle often opposed her father's political policies, preferring peace to his aggressive militarism. She fell in love with WarlordMorrat, but he was executed for treason by firing squad after a failed coup d'état against her father. She leapt in front of the weapon-fire in an attempt to save him, but theInvisible Woman surrounded her with aforce field and saved her life.[199]
TheSuper-Skrull desired her, but she was not interested in him.[200] In an attempt to win her hand, he capturesCaptain Marvel, theScarlet Witch, andQuicksilver and presents them to her father, Emperor Dorrek VII, as abride price for her hand in marriage, but her father interprets it as an attempt to usurp him and imprisons the Super-Skrull instead.[201] Anelle and the Kree Mar-Vell fall in love and have an illicit relationship,[202] leading to the birth of futureYoung AvengerHulkling. The emperor orders the baby put to death as soon as he realizes who the father is, but Anelle has her nurse smuggle the child off-world. The nurse raises the child on Earth.[203]
Anelle is later killed whenGalactus consumes the Skrull Throneworld.[204]
Angar the Screamer (David Alan Angar, also known asScream) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is asupervillain, created bySteve Gerber,Gene Colan, andJohn Tartaglione, who first appeared inDaredevil #100 (June 1973).[208]
Angel is the name of several characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Angel Dust (Christina) is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by writerGeoff Johns and artistShawn Martinbrough, the character first appeared inMorlocks #1 (June 2002).[209]
Dirk Anger is a character appearing in American comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character has been primarily featured in the bookNextwave, and was created byWarren Ellis andStuart Immonen. Anger is a thinly veiled, over-the-top parody ofNick Fury; Ellis originally wanted to use Fury himself but the character was unavailable.[210]
Dirk Anger is the Director of the Highest Anti Terrorist Effort (H.A.T.E.). Anger is fully aware that TheBeyond Corporation©, which funds H.A.T.E., is the newest version ofterrorist cell S.I.L.E.N.T.; however, he simply does not care.[volume & issue needed] Anger is over ninety years old, but has an extended lifespan, through chemical means.[volume & issue needed]
Anger has a multitude of psychological issues, includingmisogyny,[volume & issue needed]bulimia,[volume & issue needed]alcoholism,[volume & issue needed]nicotine addiction,[volume & issue needed]depression,[volume & issue needed]sadism,[volume & issue needed] and a fixation on a flowery house dress that may have belonged to his mother.[volume & issue needed] Dirk Anger accidentally (and finally) committed suicide by hanging during his pursuit of the Nextwave squad.[volume & issue needed] However, the Beyond Corporation© had installed a "Zombie Switch" in his brain, preventing him from dying, yet leaving him craving human brains.[volume & issue needed] He was apparently destroyed when he ordered his aeromarine to ram Nextwave's ship into Beyond's floating city.[volume & issue needed]
TheAni-Mator (Dr. Frederick Animus) is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The Ani-Mator appeared inNew Mutants #59 (January 1988), and was created byLouise Simonson andBret Blevins.[citation needed]
Dr. Frederick Animus was a geneticist employed by a university conducting medical research, but instead concentrated on research of mutation. When he falsified reports on the effectiveness of medication, several people died; as a result he was investigated, fired and jailed for negligence. It was there he metCameron Hodge.[211] Taking the name Ani-Mator, he was employed as a geneticist by Hodge's organizationThe Right to research a means of stopping the process that createdmutants. When the Right set him up on a deserted island in the North Atlantic he named Paradise, Animus instead created a race of "Ani-Mates" through gene slicing and selective breeding, which combined the characteristics of human beings and other animals, intending for them to be a slave race for humanity.[211]
One of the Ani-Mates,Bird-Brain, escaped the island and ultimately befriended theNew Mutants. They returned to the island to stop the mad scientist's experiments.[212] They succeeded in defeating Animus' creations, but right afterwards they were captured by Hodge and agents of The Right, who had become suspicious of the doctor's activities. Bird-Brain subsequently rallied the surviving Ani-Mates to help rescue his human friends.[211] During the fight with the Right troopers, Animus broke free and attempted to shoot and killWolfsbane, but instead killedCypher, who had pushed Rahne out of the way. In retaliation,Magik threatened to shoot Ani-Mator with his own gun until being talked down by Wolfsbane, and instead exiled him to the dimension ofLimbo.[213] There he was captured byS'ym, transferred into a demon ofliving circuitry, and forced to serve in S'ym's army.[213]
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Annalee is a mutant in theMarvel Universe.
The character, created byLouise Simonson andJune Brigman, first appeared inPower Pack #12 (1985).
Within the context of the stories, Annalee is a member of the subterranean mutants known as theMorlocks, Annalee's own four children were slain and this caused her to force the four original members ofPower Pack to become her foster children. Her repeated attempts failed (the latter attempt was foiled whenKatie Power escaped and sought the aid of theX-Men),[214] but she later found happiness caring for the young Morlock known asLeech.[volume & issue needed] Annalee later was killed byScalphunter during theMutant Massacre.[215]
Annalee appears in theX-Men: The Animated Series episode "Captive Hearts", voiced byKay Tremblay.
Annex (Alexander Ellis) is afictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as associated withSpider-Man. Annex was created by writerJack C. Harris and artistTom Lyle and first appeared inThe Amazing Spider-Man Annual #27 (1993)[216] as an enemy of Spider-Man, but went on to become an ally. His next appearance wasSpider-Man Unlimited #3, followed by a self-titledlimited series.[citation needed] He appeared in theAvengers: the Initiative series beginning with issue #13.[citation needed]
Ellis was aDesert Storm veteran whose leg was wounded in combat and subsequently amputated. He signed up for an Annexing unit, wherecomputer technology grew a newly functioning limb; however, because of acomputer glitch, Ellis lost his memory and becomes the villain Annex. He was quickly defeated by Spider-Man, and changes back into Ellis.[217]
Annex later joined Camp Hammond to be trained in theFifty State Initiative program.[218] After theSkrull invasion, Annex was assigned to New Mexico's Initiative team.[219]
As a result of his exo-skeleton armor, Annex possesses the ability to increase his strength, speed, stamina, reflexes, reaction time, coordination, agility, dexterity, balance, and endurance. Annex can also create any weapon he requires. The armor also grants him flight, "schema mode", and informational downloading methods, all at the base of acomputer generated robotic structure.[volume & issue needed]
Annihilation is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. It was created by writerJonathan Hickman and artists Pepe Larraz andLeinil Francis Yu, first appeared as a drawing inFree Comic Book Day 2020 (X-Men/Dark Ages) (July 2020), and made its full debut inX-Men (Vol. 5) #12 (September 2020).
Annihilation was the incorporeal ruler of the dimension Amenth and created the Daemons that lived there. Its spirit resided in the Annihilation Helm (later transformed into the Annihilation Staff).[220][221]
In ancient times, Annihilation invaded Earth via the island ofOkkara, splitting the island in two with the Twilight Sword. To stymie the seemingly unstoppable Daemon hordes, themutants of Okkara sealed themselves and one of the halves of the island (dubbedArakko) away in Amenth, including Okkara's queen, Genesis, whileApocalypse, Okkara's king, remained on Earth to rebuild a mutant society capable of repelling Annihilation's forces if they ever returned.[222]
For millennia, Annihilation waged war on Arakko, forcing captured mutants to breed with its Daemons to produce powerful hybrid offspring. After Genesis launched a failed counteroffensive, Annihilation challenged her to a duel to the death to end the war. Genesis won, but in so doing fell into Annihilation's trap. After killing its host, the Amenthi Daemons ran wild and threatened to destroy Arakko, forcing Genesis to claim the Annihilation Helm and become its new host.[223][224]
With Genesis as its new host, Annihilation united the Amenthi and Arakkii forces and launched an invasion of Earth throughOtherworld.[224] WhenSaturnyne intervened and arranged for atournament to decide the issue, Annihilation recruited and led the champions of Arakko.[225] After Arakko ultimately lost the tournament, Annihilation seized control of Genesis and summoned its armies to fight the Krakoan champions and invade Earth.[226] The arrival of theX-Men, theCaptain Britain Corps, and the Vescora turned the tide of the battle in the Krakoans' favor and Apocalypse took the Annihilation Helm for himself. He was able to resist its influence long enough to command the Amenthi forces to surrender, ending the battle. Saturnyne subsequently turned the helm into a staff to limit Annihilation's influence over its host and gave it to Genesis, who returned to Amenth with Apocalypse and theFirst Horsemen.[221]
Though lessened, Annihilation retained influence over Genesis, eventually sparking the Genesis War on Planet Arakko. Its power over her was undone whenStorm destroyed the staff and ended the civil war.[227] With no vessel, Annihilation's spirit was confined to Amenth, cut off from all other realities.[228]
TheAnswer is the name of three connected characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics.
The first Answer,Aaron Nicholson first appeared inPeter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #92. Nicholson is a criminal genius and a former member of theKingpin's criminal organization.[229] He is also a former hitman in the Las Vegas division ofHYDRA and was empowered by the laboratory machines ofFarley Stillwell's brother Harlan Stillwell.[volume & issue needed]
The Answer studiedSpider-Man's powers,[230] and then attacked the hero and ally theBlack Cat to test the limits of their abilities.[231] He then kidnapped the Black Cat to misdirect Spider-Man's attention as he stoleSilvermane's body from the police morgue,[232] and assisted the Kingpin in partially restoring Silvermane's life.[233] The Answer then kidnappedDagger in hopes that her powers would cure the Kingpin's ailingwife.[234] Silvermane rampaged mindlessly; as a result, the Answer sacrificed his corporeal form and converted himself to energy to revive Dagger, who possessed Silvermane's life-force.[235]
The Answer later telepathically contactedDoctor Octopus[236] who restored his corporeal existence.[237] The Answer ended up fighting with Octavius, and was defeated. The Answer later appeared in the Raft, and escaped only to be captured byToxin.[volume & issue needed] It was later revealed that he had been feigning bad luck to reunite with his unrequited loveRuby Thursday, but her body was destroyed byBullseye.[238]
During thesuperhero civil war, Nicholson was part of an army of super-villains organized byHammerhead that was captured byIron Man andS.H.I.E.L.D. agents.[239] He was later among the supervillains attending a wake forStilt-Man at a bar. Disguised as a barman, thePunisher poisoned drinks and blew up the bar.[240] Answer survived, and was subsequently hired by theHood to take advantage of the split in the superhero community caused by the Superhuman Registration Act.[241] He fought theNew Avengers but was taken down byDoctor Strange.[242] He was later among the villains in a bar confrontingSpider-Man.[243]
Answer was one of many prisoners who escaped fromthe Raft at the start of theSkrull invasion of Earth.[244] He later joined the Hood's crime syndicate and worked with them on numerous occasions.[245][246][247][248][249]
After Aaron Nicholson's apparent death,S.H.I.E.L.D. agentDavid Ferrari took the identity of Answer.[250] He was a former agent ofS.H.I.E.L.D., theU.S. Army and Furnace – as well as a former ally of theCrimson Dynamo and the brother ofConnie. He led a mission to anA.I.M. base to prevent the release of the Omega Compound; however, he released two drops to destroy the base.[251] Ferrari later used drugs to controlNick Fury, at which point he had allied himself with theCrimson Dynamo in attempt to steal missiles from Khamistan to take over the world. He was opposed byCaptain America.[250]
After Aaron Nicholson lost his physical form, his gear was sold toRoderick Kingsley, who passed it to an unknown criminal. The new Answer was present whenHobgoblin led his forces into battle against the Goblin King's Goblin Nation. After Hobgoblin was killed by Goblin King, Answer was among the villains that defected to the Goblin Nation.[252] Following Spider-Man's victory over the Goblin King, Answer was with the other former Hobgoblin minions at the Bar with No Name, where they encounteredElectro.[253]
Ant Ant is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Ant Ant is an anthropomorphicant and animal version of Ant-Man.
Ape is amutant in theMarvel Universe. His first appearance was inPower Pack #12 (July 1985), and he was created byLouise Simonson andJune Brigman.
The character subsequently appears inThe Uncanny X-Men #195 (July 1985),Power Pack #27 (December 1986),X-Factor #11-13 (December 1986-February 1987), andWeapon X (vol. 2) #5 (March 2003) and #10 (August 2003).
Ape was a member of theMorlocks who was amongst those that escaped theMarauders' slaughter during the "Mutant Massacre".[volume & issue needed] He lived with the mutant teamX-Factor after the massacre.[volume & issue needed] Ape was later captured by the subversiveWeapon X program and incarcerated in the "Neverland" concentration camp, where he was among the first mutants to be executed.[254]
Ape appeared as part of the "Morlocks" entry in theOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #9.
Ape-Man is the name of three connected fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
With a group of other criminals, professional criminalGordon "Monk" Keefer attempted a robbery of aStark Industries warehouse, and was defeated byCaptain America.[256] Along with three other criminals, Keefer was recruited for his great strength by a man named the Organizer to form theAni-Men, with him being given anape-like costume and the title of Ape-Man. The Organizer was secretly Abner Jonas, a candidate for mayor ofNew York City, who sent the Ani-Men on missions to undermine the current administration. Daredevil defeated them, and both the Ani-Men and Organizer were imprisoned.[257] Later Ape-Man, Bird-Man and Cat-Man formed a team called the "Unholy Three" with theExterminator, and fought Daredevil again.[258] The Unholy Three, as a team of independent thieves, fought Daredevil andSpider-Man and were again defeated.[259]
Ape-Man, Bird-Man, and Cat-Man later rejoined the Ani-Men, and the Ani-Men went to work forCount Nefaria. Nefaria's scientists submitted the unwitting Ani-Men to processes that gave them superhuman powers and animal-like forms with Keefer resembling an actual ape. The Ani-Men invaded the Cheyenne Mountain missile base for Count Nefaria, and fought theX-Men.[260] The Ani-Men later lost their superhuman powers, reverted to normal and started wearing their animal-themed costumes again; Nefaria sent them to killTony Stark. However, theSpymaster detonated a bomb intended to kill Stark, and the resulting explosion killed the Ani-Men instead.[261]
After the deaths of the original Ani-Men, theDeath-Stalker recruited a new team of Ani-Men, with a new Ape-Man, Bird-Man, and Cat-Man. The second Ape-Man wasRoy McVey, who was given a copy of the original Ape-Man's costume. Death-Stalker sent the new Ani-Men to captureMatt Murdock, and murdered Ape-Man and Cat-Man by electrocution upon the completion of their mission.[262]
An unnamed Ape-Man alongside a third Cat-Man and a second Frog-Man were shown committing crimeswhile the heroes were onBattleworld. They used the equipment of the original Ani-Men and used it to rob a vault wagon only to be opposed by the NYPD.[263] During thesuperhero civil war, Ape-Man was among the villains inHammerhead's supervillain army.[239]
Ape-X is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Ape-X is a super-intelligent ape in theSquadron Supremeuniverse. The character, created byMark Gruenwald,[264] is a pastiche ofGorilla Grodd,[citation needed] first appeared inSquadron Supreme #5 in January 1986.[citation needed]
Ape-X is agorilla who was a member of theInstitute of Evil. Enemies of the Squadron, they abducted the team's scientistTom Thumb and subjected him to his own Behavior Modification technology, hoping to turn Tom against his teammates while holding the Squadron's loved ones hostage to prevent reprisals. However, when the Squadron were all captured, it transpired Tom had designed the technology so it would not affect any Squadron member. Ape-X and the rest of the Institute were subdued and subject to the B-Mod device themselves, turning them into loyal members of the Squadron.[265]
Ape-X goes on to serve as a scientific expert for the team, assisting Tom Thumb in his attempt to cure all human disease. While her brainwashing prevents Ape-X from directly committing crimes, she is able to suggest courses of action Tom might hypothetically take. However, their efforts prove fruitless, and Tom succumbs to his own cancer.[74][75] In her grief, Ape-X begins attempting to construct a robot duplicate of Tom. In the meantime, she also assists Hyperion, who has become blinded following a fight with a villainous copy of himself.[75] When Moonglow infiltrates the Squadron's files, Ape-X is alerted to this by Tom's AI, AIDA. However, her brainwashing prevents Ape-X from taking any action against a member of the Squadron, and the logical dichotomy gives Ape-X an anyuerysm, preventing her from warning them.[76]
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Unrelated to the Squadron Supreme version, Ape-X was created byKarl Kesel and Ramon Bachs, first appearing inMarvel Apes #1. Ape-X is a monkey that wears a wrestler mask that enables him to turn into a super-powered gorilla.
Apex is the name of different characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
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The first Apex first appeared inAvengers Arena #1 (December 2012) and was created byDennis Hopeless andKev Walker.
Apex is one of sixteen teenagers kidnapped byArcade who forces them to fight each other to the death in his latest version ofMurderworld.[266] She is part of the Braddock Academy group (consisting ofKid Briton,Anachronism,Bloodstone andNara) which is joined byDeath Locket despite death threats from Kid Briton and Nara. Death Locket started bonding with Apex as she introduces her to the rest of the Braddock Academy.[267]
There is discord in the Braddock Academy's ranks as Anachronism and Kid Briton get into an argument. An earthquake then separates Bloodstone and Anachronism from Apex, Nara, Kid Briton, and Death Locket. Death Locket goes dormant as her cybernetics take over and she blasts Nara off a cliff and into the ocean. Kid Briton is enraged by this and tries to kill her until Apex orders him not to, revealing that she knew about his affair with Nara back at the Braddock Academy and that "we're here now and I'm done sharing."[268]
Nara, Anachronism, and Bloodstone manage to survive falling into the chasm and come to the conclusion that Apex is manipulating Death Locket and Kid Briton to her own ends. The trio is then teleported by Arcade to the supply cache at Quadrant 2 just as Apex, Death Locket, and Kid Briton arrive. Nara and Apex start arguing and Apex confirms that she was the one who ordered Death Locket to attack Nara. Kid Briton tries to intervene as Nara continues calling him a "weak puppet." An irate Kid Briton attempts to kill Nara for insulting him only to be beheaded by Anachronism.[269]
In a flashback, it was shown that Apex is actually the twinsKaty and Tim Bashir who ended up sharing a body following an experiment by their parents gone wrong. Since then, both of them were unaware that they share the same body. The battle betweenChase Stein asDarkhawk andJuston Seyfert was aborted when Tim's technopathic powers and the group's vote for Tim/Katy's life or death. Juston was among those who voted for death. When Tim reverted to Katy, Juston is murdered by Apex who breaks his neck and then steals his Sentinel.[270]
After being injured by Apex,Nico sacrifices herself by staying behind in order to get some of the other survivors to safety. Nico is killed by Chase and Juston Seyfert's Sentinel (both of whom were under Apex's control).[271] Nico is resurrected by the Staff of One and powered up sufficiently to defeat Apex and trap her and Death Locket underground. However, this had the unintended side effect of sending them underneath the Arena into Arcade's lair.[272]
At the conclusion of theAvengers Arena storyline/series, Arcade escapes when confronted by Apex, Death Locket, and the (now de-powered) Darkhawk, but manages to secretly convince Apex to run Murderworld to its conclusion by killing off the remaining heroes and then telling the world how she was the tragic sole survivor.[273]
As she gloats of her impending victory to Death Locket — still under her control — and tells the cyborg how she'll unfortunately have to die as well to keep Apex's secret and make the story sound plausible, Tim regains enough mental strength to take over one last time. He eventually convinces Death Locket to kill the Tim/Katy gestalt before his sister comes back and takes over the body once and for all—he implies that she has grown far too strong by now for him to ever displace her again—and uses Murderworld to kill off everyone else (by this time, Apex had already set off Murderworld's remaining traps and defenses, all at once, to eliminate the survivors). Apex is then killed by Death Locket off-panel.[274]
Otherone is a prince in the Musculan royal family on the planet Muscula. When the PowerInfinity Stone manifested in Otherone's jelly bowl, he unknowingly ate it and gained its powers.[275]
Using the alias of Prince and Prince of Power, Otherone joins theGuardians of the Galaxy, but unintentionally destroys Muscula. Subsequently, he is trained byHercules and becomes known as Apex and later encounteredThor.[276][277]
Aquarius is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Darren Bentley is a founding member of theZodiac, and his base of operations wasSan Francisco, California.
The Zodiac was infiltrated byNick Fury, posing asScorpio; the Zodiac fought theAvengers and escaped.[278] Aquarius,Capricorn, andSagittarius sought to recapture the Zodiac Key, but lost it to the Brotherhood of the Ankh.[279]
Led by Taurus, the Zodiac later attempted to kill all Manhattan residents born under the sign of Gemini as a show of power, but were thwarted by the Avengers. Taurus's faction attempted to kill the Zodiac dissident faction, but all twelve leaders were captured by the Avengers.[280]
After learning he had cancer, Aquarius made a bargain with the demon Slifer: in return for his soul, Aquarius was granted one year of life and the supernatural ability to take on the forms of his fellow Zodiac leaders. However, after Aquarius took on the other Zodiac forms one time each (thereby representing azodiacal year) while battlingGhost Rider, Slifer returned and claimed his body and soul.[281]
The second Aquarius was a man namedZachary Drebb. Taurus ordered Aquarius II and third Aries to killIron Man (James Rhodes), but both failed.[282] A new androidLMD version of the Zodiac appeared, led by Scorpio in a new android body, massacred the human Zodiac, and took over their criminal operations.[283]
An android Aquarius was aLife Model Decoy created byScorpio (Jacob Fury) to be part of his Zodiac crime organization. Scorpio went after his brother,Nick Fury, with his new group, but was defeated byDefenders andMoon Knight.[284] The Zodiac LMD's were recruited byQuicksilver during his bout with temporary insanity, and Quicksilver ordered the Zodiac LMD's to destroyAvengers for their imagined wrongdoings. The Avengers managed to defeat the group and most were remanded into federal custody.[285]
The android Zodiac were soon released, and the Scorpio LMD rebuilt a number of them. Scorpio used the Zodiac Key to create LMDs that exemplified the forces and personalities inherent in each sign, hoping to create great strength in the combination of all twelve traits of the Zodiac. He arranged the ambush in which the android Zodiac killed all of the remaining human Zodiac leaders except Cornelius van Lunt, aliasTaurus. It was later revealed the Libra had also survived the attack on the original Zodiac Cartel. Immediately afterward, Van Lunt sought out the services of the Avengers' West Coast branch to confront and defeat the android Zodiac. He was destroyed by Hawkeye in a battle with theWest Coast Avengers.[286]
The Zodiac Key immediately resurrected the Scorpio LMD. Claiming superiority and believing that the Zodiac would eventually kill the Avengers as the androids could never be stopped, Scorpio wanted to use the Key to transport everyone on the scene to the Key's native dimension where the conflict, he believed, could be prolonged indefinitely. However, when the androids were in the other dimension, they ceased to function because each of them were aligned with a particular zodiacal energy, energy that did not exist in the other dimension. The Avengers foundHawkeye andTigra had been sent to the same dimension and, reunited, the team was sent back to Earth by the Brotherhood. However, secretly the Brotherhood waited so that someday they could also send the Key to Earth again and create new conflicts for them.[286]
Aquarius was a later addition to the Zodiac. A man of few words, he tended to remain in the background despite his power. He was killed with the rest of the Zodiac byWeapon X.
The fifth Aquarius is an unnamed male thatThanos recruited to join his incarnation of the Zodiac.[287] He and the other Zodiac members perish when Thanos abandons them on the self-destructing Helicarrier whereCancer was the only survivor.[288]
Aquarius appears inMarvel Anime: Iron Man as a mech utilized by Zodiac.
Aragorn is the name of severalwinged horses appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first incarnation appeared inThe Avengers #48 (January 1968) and was created byRoy Thomas andGeorge Tuska.
Professor Nathan Garrett, the criminalBlack Knight, developed genetic engineering techniques capable of granting a horse the wings of a bird. He used it to create a mount to ride during his criminal adventures.[289] After Garrett's final defeat byIron Man,[290] this horse escaped, was found and further mutated by Victor Frankenstein's great-granddaughterVictoria (who had originally tried to restore it to normal), and fell into the possession of theDreadknight, who named it theHellhorse.[291]
As Garrett was dying, he persuades his nephew Dane Whitman to take his scientific discoveries and use them for good. Whitman thus became a new, heroicBlack Knight and used his uncle's techniques to create another winged horse. This one he names Aragorn and uses as his mount.[289] Aragorn helped the Black Knight and theAvengers battle theMasters of Evil;[292] carried the Black Knight into battle against Le Sabre;[293] helped the Black Knight andDoctor Strange battleTiboro;[294] carried the Black Knight alongside Doctor Strange and the Avengers as they battledYmir andSurtur;[295] carried the Black Knight toOlympus to battleAres and theEnchantress,[296] among numerous other adventures together.
When the Black Knight was turned into stone by the Enchantress, Aragorn was placed in the custody of his fellowDefender, theValkyrie.[297] Aragorn carried the Valkyrie andNamorita into battle against theOmegatron.[298] When Whitman left his own time to stay for a while in the 12th century AD, he entrusted Aragorn to the care of the Valkyrie, who became his permanent companion.[299] He came to live at the Richmond Riding Academy.[300] He accompanied the Valkyrie toAsgard and Valhalla, and helped the Valkyrie,Harokin, and the Defenders battleOllerus andCasiolena.[301] With the Valkyrie, Aragorn helped form the New Defenders.[302]
While Aragorn was with the Valkyrie, Dane Whitman gained a new flying horse named Strider from theLady of the Lake.[303]
Aragorn is still in the company of the Valkyrie.[304]
Another Aragon served as a steed to Augustine du Lac, who was the Vatican Black Knight. He rode Aragorn at the time when he accompaniedKlaw in his invasion ofWakanda.[305]
WhenKraven the Hunter's sonAlyosha Kravinoff began collecting azoo of animal-themed superbeings, Aragorn is clearly seen in one of the cages. However, after disobeying Kraven, Aragorn was killed to set an example to his other captives and then served up as food.[306] TheMarvel Pets Handbook confirmed that the Aragorn that was killed by Alyosha Kravinoff was the Vatican Black Knight's Aragorn.[307]
Arakko, "the island that fights like a man,"[311] is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Expressively female, Arakko is a sentient island, created several thousands years prior to the Modern Age in the South Pacific alongside its male counterpartKrakoa when themutant island ofOkkara, ruled byApocalypse andGenesis, was split in two byAnnihilation with the Twilight Sword, creating a rift into the dimension of Amenth and unleashing Annihilation's Daemon hordes. In order to halt the invasion of Earth, Genesis sealed herself, theFirst Horsemen, the entire population of Okkara, and the newly created island of Arakko into Amenth, while Apocalypse remained on Earth to build a mutant society strong enough to repel the Amenthi Daemons if they ever returned.[312][222]
Now stranded in Amenth, one-tenth of the mutants fled into the wasteland, overwhelmed by the demonic nature of the dimension. Some of them were captured by the forces of Annihilation and forced to breed with Daemons to create powerful mutant-Daemon hybrids.[313] To protect themselves, the Arakkii mutants erected ten towers to keep the endless legions of Daemons at bay. They formed a ruling body, the Great Ring of Arakko, and the island nation was stable for a time.[314]
After millennia of endless war against the Daemons, Genesis gathered an army and went on a years-long campaign to defeat Annihilation for good. However, she was forced to return to Arakko after her army was decimated by theWhite Sword, a former ally driven mad by thousands of years of isolation and endless battle.[313]
Genesis' sister,Isca the Unbeaten (whose powers had compelled her to defect to Amenth before the rift was sealed) returned to Arakko with a proposal from Annihilation: a duel to the death to end the war. Genesis accepted and won the duel but fell into Annihilation's trap: by killing Annihilation's host, the Daemons of Amenth were left leaderless and ran wild. Only by donning the Annihilation Helm and becoming Annihilation's new host could Genesis hope to save her people. For 100 years, she refused, until the Daemons breached Arakko's walls. The desperate Arakki opened a portal to Dryador, a province ofOtherworld, in search of aid. Realizing that all was lost, Genesis became Annihilation's host. Arakko was then forcefully turned into an Amenthi vassal state, beginning the era known as the Fallow Years.[223][224] The mutants who refused to submit to Annihilation were imprisoned and tortured in the Abyssal Prisons byTarn the Uncaring and his Locus Vile.[315][311]
After subjugating Arakko, Annihilation sentSummoner, son of theHorseman of War, to find his grandfather Apocalypse, ostensibly in order for him and the mutants of Krakoa to help them defeat the Daemons, but in truth, to trick him into opening a gateway between Otherworld and Krakoa, paving the way for Annihilation to invade Earth. Simultaneously, the united forces of Arakko and Amenth invaded and destroyed Dryador.[313][223]
The small piece of Arakko sent with Summoner, known as the Arak Coral, appeared 100 miles south of Krakoa and immediately began moving towards the island. AfterAurora andNorthstar surveyed the island and observed hostile lifeforms,Cyclops went to the island withPrestige andCable to investigate. On the island, the trio encountered Summoner and several monsters. Once communication was established between the parties, the Arak Coral was able to merge with Krakoa, becoming the southwestern edge of the island. Later that day, Summoner finally met Apocalypse and, in keeping with Annihilation's plan, told him of the state of Arakko and the threat of the Daemons.[316]
The Arak Coral became known as the "bad place" due to its monsters and was largely avoided by the Krakoan mutants. It was here that Cable found the sword known as the Light of Galador.[317]
When Summoner's machinations successfully lured Apocalypse and a band of mutants into Otherworld to fight the Daemons attacking Dryador, the First Horsemen, along with Summoner, attacked, grievously wounding Apocalypse. The fight was halted by the Omniversal MajestrixSaturnyne, who arranged aContest of Swords between the two islands to settle the conflict.[225]
The Krakoan mutants ultimately won the tournament, and in the process Annihilation was defeated, its influence on Genesis curtailed and its grip on Arakko severed. Saturnyne decreed that one Krakoan mutant and one Arakkii mutant would exchange places to mark the end of the conflict. Genesis chose Apocalypse to join her and their children in Amenth, while Apocalypse chose Arakko itself (and by extension all the mutants living there) to take his place on Earth.[221]
After returning to Earth, Arakko tried to reunite with Krakoa, but both had changed over time and no longer seemed compatible, even speaking two very different languages. Thus, the islands decided to stay separate.[318]
During the first annualHellfire Gala, realizing the difficulties in accommodating a massive population of warlike mutants on Earth,Magneto proposed a plan to terraform Mars and relocate Arakko and its inhabitants there in a power play to claim Mars as the capital of the solar system and the first mutant world. The Great Ring consented to the plan and lent their aid. After the planet was made hospitable for life,Exodus, with the aid ofJean Grey andLactuca the Knower, uprooted the island and transported it to Mars, renamed Planet Arakko.[319]
Arakko was attacked by theEternal Uranos, who nearly destroyed the island.[320][321] Learning of this and believing the Arakkii mutants had grown soft in her absence, Genesis (still under the influence of Annihilation) traveled to Arakko and incited a civil war, rallying mutants who desired strength in opposition to the allies ofStorm, who wanted peace.[322][323] In the course of the war, Apocalypse raised the Autumn Continent of Arakko, dubbedKaorak, prompting Genesis to raise Arakko itself to retaliate. The two living landmasses fought until Storm destroyed the Annihilation Staff, freeing Genesis from its influence and ending the war. Arakko and Kaorak embraced, recreating the true spirit of Okkara.[227]
The Great Ring of Arakko is composed of four tables of three seats, with an adjunct section for the island itself. Any Arakkii who wishes to sit on one of the three publicly recognized tables of the Great Ring may challenge a sitting member to combat and receive that member's seat if victorious. Historically, members of the Great Ring, excluding the second iteration of the Night Table, have always beenOmega-level mutants, though non-Omega-level mutants are not prohibited from sitting on the Great Ring.[311]
Character codename | Real name | Table | Seat | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kobak Never-Held[a] | Dawn | Victory | Joined inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #13. | |
Isca the Unbeaten[a] | Resigned inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #7. | |||
Genesis[a] | Left inX of Swords: Destruction #1. Seat disputed with Kobak during the Genesis War.[322] | |||
Lycaon Two Wolves[a] | Stalemate | Mentioned to have joined inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #11. Killed by Xilora inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #18. | ||
Idyll the Future Seer[a] | Killed by Isca inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #5. | |||
High Mutant Prophet Idyll[a] | Died. Replaced by daughter Idyll the Future Seer.[318] | |||
Storm[a] | Ororo Munroe | Loss | Claimed Seat of All-Around-Us inS.W.O.R.D. (Vol. 2) #6. Transferred to Seat of Loss inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #7. Left after the Fall of Krakoa.[325] | |
Orrdon, the Omega Rocket[a] | Seat disputed with Storm during the Genesis War. Killed by Isca inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #14. | |||
Magneto[a] | Max Eisenhardt | Joined inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #3. Died inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #7. | ||
Tarn the Uncaring[a] | Killed by Magneto inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #3. | |||
Lactuca the Knower[a] | Day | Above-Us | ||
Lodus Logos[a] | All-Around-Us | Transferred from the Seat of Dreams by Storm.[326] | ||
Nameless the Shape-Shifter Queen[a] | Defeated and replaced by Storm and committed suicide inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #1. | |||
Sobunar of the Depths[a] | Below-Us | Resigned after the Genesis War.[327] | ||
Xilora[a] | Dusk | Law, History | Merged being of Ora Serrata and Xilo.[227] | |
Ora Serrata, the Witness[a] | Law | Merged with Xilo to become Xilora.[227] | ||
Uqesh the Bridge[a] | Defeated and replaced by Ora Serrata.[314] | |||
Xilo the First Defender[a] | History | Merged with Ora Serrata to become Xilora.[227] | ||
Fisher King | Night | Nothing | First holder of the seat after the table's secret reformation.[324] Killed inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #18. | |
Syzya of the Smoke | Nowhere | First holder of the seat after the table's secret reformation.[324] | ||
Weaponless Zsen | Nobody | Bequeathed the seat by Sunspot.[328] | ||
Sunspot | Roberto Da Costa | Joined inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #6. | ||
Summoner | Killed inWolverine (Vol. 7) #7. | |||
Zsora of the Spirit Flame | First holder of the seat after the table's secret reformation.[324] Killed byFamine.[329] | |||
Arakko | Adjunct | |||
Redroot the Forest | Voice of Arakko | Imprisoned byMad Jim Jaspers inX-Force (Vol. 6) #14. Rejoined inX-Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #120. |
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Arcanna is the name of three fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Arcanna Jones, created byJ. M. DeMatteis andDon Perlin, first appeared inThe Defenders #112 (October 1982).[330]
Arcanna'smagical abilities allow her to become a professional crime fighter to support her family, and she joins theSquadron Supreme.
With the Squadron, she travels to a different universe.[331] When they return, Arcanna discovers the nature of magic changed while she was away and that she will have to relearn all of her skills. Instead, she chooses to retire from adventuring to be with her family.[332]
This version of the character, created byJ. Michael Straczynski andGary Frank, first appeared inSupreme Power #18 (April 2005).
Arcanna Jones is able to observe and affectparallel quantum dimensions. During a fight withHyperion, the interaction between their powers causes them to travel two years into the future.[333]
Arcanna and the rest of the heroes of her world were killed by the Cabal during an Incursion, with their world's Nighthawk as the only survivor.[334]
In the 2021 "Heroes Reborn" reality, Arcanna is a member of the Secret Squadron. During the fight with the Siege Society, Arcanna was locked in combat with Silver Witch before being vanquished by her. Tom Thumb, Nighthawk, and Blur mourn the deaths of their fallen comrades Amphibian, Arcanna Jones, Blue Eagle, and Golden Archer.[190]
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Ariel 11 is anextraterrestrialmutant. Created byJo Duffy andKerry Gammill, the character first appeared inFallen Angels #1.
Like others of her race, she is able to teleport. Ariel creates portals by bending space between two points, using doors as a focal point. By opening a door in one location, she emerges via a door in her desired destination. On Earth, she encounters the mutant criminalVanisher and joins the group of adolescents who work for him as thieves, known as theFallen Angels.[335] She later allies herself with the X-Men.[336][337]
Armageddon Man is a mutant character capable of causing or attracting natural disasters. Created byJohn Francis Moore andJim Cheung, the character first appeared inX-Force #88 (February 1999).
In his youth after the development of his powers, Armageddon Man accidentally destroyed a town inNew Mexico, causing the government to put him under suspended animation. He was freed byThe New Hellions but soon lost control of his powers and was turned over to the government by X-Force.[338]
Armageddon Man was later recruited by X-Men Green.[339] He would later be shot twice with the Genus Compound byHordeculture, firstly stripping him of his mutation and then devolving him into an extinctlemur.[340] Armageddon Man was later killed in a conflict between X-Men Green and theX-Men.[341]
Gustav Hertz, better known as theArmless Tiger Man, is a supervillain who first appeared in the 1940s, then fell into obscurity for decades before being revived in stories set during the WWII era. Armless Tiger Man first appeared inMarvel Mystery Comics #26 and was created byPaul Gustavson and Al Bellman.
As the name indicates, the Armless Tiger Man does not have any arms, having lost them in an industrial accident in his youth. Instead, he is a skilled fighter with his sharpened teeth and feet. Being recruited by theGestapo he was used as a Nazi-henchman in several Marvel comic stories set inWorld War II. He was originally an enemy of the Golden AgeAngel but also had run-ins withCaptain America as well as the WWII-eraBlack Panther[volume & issue needed]. Armless Tiger Man first appeared inMarvel Mystery Comics #26 and was created byPaul Gustavson and Al Bellman.
Armless Tiger Man appears in a teaser image forMarvel Avengers Alliance, parodying the cover ofX-Men #141.[342] He is one of the victims of the Circle of Eight and is found dead alongsideLady Octopus.
Armory (Violet Lightner) first appeared inAvengers: The Initiative #1 and was created by Dan Slott and Stefano Casselli.
A suicidal girl from San Francisco, Violet Lightner's attempt at killing herself failed when she bonded with the alien superweapon known as the Tactigon, an empathic weapon capable of anticipating the needs of its host. Finding new purpose in life, Violet used the weapon to fight crime where she managed to defeatFlying Tiger, and joined the Fifty States Initiative.[343]
On her first day atCamp Hammond, Armory was involved in a training accident that saw the death of fellow traineeMichael Van Patrick. Lightner was summarily drummed out of the Initiative and the Tactigon surgically removed.[344]
Violet then went into therapy, refusing to disclose the circumstances that led to her expulsion to her psychiatrist, who unknown to her was working for Henry Peter Gyrich.[343]
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Amanda Armstrong is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is the biological mother ofTony Stark.
Amanda Armstrong was a singer who became an intelligence agent upon being recruited byS.H.I.E.L.D. agentValentina Allegra de Fontaine. During one mission, she met a man named Jude who was a double agent forHydra. She would later get pregnant through Jude and give the baby Anthony to S.H.I.E.L.D. founderHoward Stark to raise. Many years later, Amanda become a music producer in London and reunited with her biological sonTony Stark.[345]
Aron the RogueWatcher is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He is the nephew ofUatu. Aron first appeared inCaptain Marvel #39 and was created bySteve Englehart andAl Milgrom.[346]
Aron originally dwelt upon theWatchers' homeworld with the other members of his race. He observedMar-Vell andRick Jones battling Mad-Eye, and then attended the trial ofUatu.[347] Aron was seen alongside Uatu again later.[348]
Aron decided to forsake the Watchers' oath and actively participate in events on Earth, becoming an instigator and manipulator. He setDragon Man againstShe-Hulk andShe-Thing, and obtained cell samples from theThing and She-Thing.[349] Aron observed theFantastic Four battlingGraviton, and witnessed the events ofInferno.[350] Aron was in turn observed by Necrodamus.[351] Aron then joined forces with theFrightful Four against the Fantastic Four,[352] but soon quit the Frightful Four. Aron created clones of the Fantastic Four and She-Thing, and imprisoned the real Fantastic Four and Frightful Four members in suspended animation, and watched their dreams. He replaced the real Fantastic Four with his clones, and set them against theMole Man.[353] Aron continued to engineer "adventures" for his clones, causing them to appear as criminals. The clones battled theAvengers andDoctor Strange, and were ultimately defeated by the real Fantastic Four after the originals broke free. Aron settled for watching the dreams of the clones instead.[354]
When the entire species of the Watchers faced extinction at the hands of theCelestials, Aron planned to plunge either Earth's solar system or its galaxy (the narration is not entirely clear) into apocket universe, which he intended to live on in. He even collaborated with Dark Raider (the Mister Fantastic of Earth-944) to further his goals. However, his plan was thwarted by the expanded Fantastic Four and their allies, and Aron was reduced to energy by his uncle Uatu. For this action, Uatu was stripped of his position as a Watcher. Uatu believed that Aron's energies would serve as the core around which to create a new "One", the sentient repository of all the Watchers' knowledge, whose predecessor had been destroyed by the CelestialExitar the Exterminator.[355]
Arsenal is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character first appears inIron Man #114 (September 1978) and was created byBill Mantlo andKeith Giffen.
The "Beta" unit first appeared in a two-part storyline inIron Man #114 (September 1978) andThe Avengers Annual #9 (1979), and made a final appearance inHulk (vol. 2) #282 (April 1983). The "Alpha" unit appeared inIron Man (vol. 3) #84-85 (August 2004).
Arsenal is a fighting robot unit created byHoward Stark and a group ofAllied scientists near the end ofWorld War II as a last resort in the event of anAxis victory. The robot was also guided by Stark's early computer program Mistress. After the Allies won, Arsenal was placed in storage. In the present day, Arsenal is underneathAvengers Mansion and suddenly and attacks theAvengers when the group are battling theUnicorn at the time. However,Iron Man successfully drives Arsenal off.[356]
Arsenal is later guided by Mistress into erroneously believing the Allies lost World War II, defeating several Avengers until confronted byThor and theScarlet Witch. On the verge of defeat, Arsenal apparently self-destructs while Iron Man confronts Mistress programmed withMaria Stark's brain patterns. Once Iron Man unmasks and explains that the Allies won, the computer program wipes its own memory.[357]
Arsenal actually faked its own destruction. It attacksEdwin Jarvis whenShe-Hulk and theHulk visit Avengers Mansion. Arsenal then incapacitates She-Hulk, and the enraged Hulk destroys Arsenal.[358]
Iron Man eventually learns that only a "Beta" unit had been destroyed and that an "Alpha" unit remained deactivated beneath Avengers Mansion, and is tasked byHomeland Security with shutting it down without informing the other Avengers due to the security risk it poses. Iron Man tracks the unit, but is unaware that the Avengers have followed. Arsenal is activated when transmission codes are radioed to Iron Man, which results in a battle between the new unit and the Avengers. Iron Man then realizes that Arsenal was activated by interference with its signal, which was set to "inert". Iron Man occupies Arsenal whileWarbird stops the interference's source, causing Arsenal to deactivate. Arsenal is then dismantled.[359]
Arsenal is fully reassembled and under control, as it's later used as a test for a group of Avengers recruits under the pretext that it's out of control.[360]
During the "Iron Man 2020" event,Arno Stark recreates the eScape variations of Arsenal and Mistress to serve as new bodies for copies of Howard and Maria.[361]
Both units of Arsenal possess amplified strength and durability. The Beta unit also possesses air jets and inertia darts, can radiate an electro-stun field and project a high-intensity laser beam from its eyes. The Alpha unit possesses a flame-thrower, multiple gun systems and a toxic gas dispenser.
Arsenal appears inAvengers Assemble, voiced byJim Meskimen.[364][365][366] This version is designed to safely absorb and maintain massive amounts of energy. Arsenal becomes a friend and protector to Iron Man while he assist the Avengers againstThanos before sacrificing himself to defeatUltron.
Asbestos Man (Orson Karloff) is a supervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by writersStan Lee andErnie Hart and artistDick Ayers, the characterfirst appeared inStrange Tales #111 (August 1963).[367] Afterwards, the character did not reappear for many years untilFear Itself.[368]
Dr. Orson Karloff is "the world's foremost analytical chemist."[369] He invents a chemical capable of melting metals, among other things, which he thinks he can use to steal money from banks likeFort Knox. However, he is not swift or stealthy and is almost caught by the police during one of his burgling attempts. Realizing that he is not skillful enough, Karloff adopts the supervillain handle of Asbestos Man and retreats to an obscure castle, where he hones his powers and one day challengesHuman Torch to a showdown.[370] The Torch nonchalantly agrees. However, it is Asbestos Man who ultimately wins, having created a flame-resistant armor out of "super-asbestos" (a combination of iron, calcium andchrysotile), rendering Storm's powers useless. Asbestos Man decides to spare the Torch, having already made a mockery of him. Asbestos Man's triumph over the Torch becomes big news. Blackie Barker, otherwise known as the "King of the Underworld", becomes aware of the villain and ropes him in to help carry out a bank heist. A humiliated Human Torch returns to settle scores with Asbestos Man, after being encouraged by his fellowFantastic Four members. At the bank, the Human Torch absorbs all oxygen present. Asbestos Man is forced to surrender and he is promptly hauled to prison.[371]
InFear Itself, Asbestos Man is revealed to have developed cancer from exposure to his suit and now uses an oxygen tank to breathe. He intends to return to life as a villain, but theGreat Lakes Avengers persuade him from doing so.[368]
Years later, the Human Torch mentioned that Asbestos Man had died.[372]
Asbestos Man is a genius chemist.[373] His knowledge of chemistry enabled him to develop a super solvent and "super-asbestos." His "super-asbestos" armor is high in toxicity and resistant to heat.[374] Additionally, his iron shield can block out flames and his metal net is capable of energy manipulation. He holds aPh.D in analytical chemistry.[367]
Asha is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character, created byMatt Kindt and Steven Sanders, first appeared inInfinity: The Hunt #1 (September 2013).
Asha is a citizen ofWakanda with the ability to manipulate light who helps battleThanos' forces during his invasion of Earth.
Asha appears inYour Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, voiced byErica Luttrell.[375][376] This version is anOscorp intern who later joinsHarry Osborn's Worldwide Engineering Brigade (W.E.B.).
Astra is the name of two fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
First appearance | X-Men #107 (October1977) |
---|---|
Created by | Chris Claremont andDave Cockrum |
Species | Unidentified extraterrestrial race |
Teams | Imperial Guard |
Abilities | Phasing |
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Astra is a member of theShi'ar Imperium'sImperial Guard. The character, created byChris Claremont andDave Cockrum, first appeared inThe Uncanny X-Men #107. Astra has the ability to become intangible, allowing her to pass through solid objects. She can also use her power offensively, phasing her hand into her opponent and becoming partly solid, which gives them a physical shock and renders them unconscious. Like many original members of the Imperial Guard, Astra is the analog of a character fromDC Comics'Legion of Super-Heroes: in her casePhantom Girl.[377]
Astra is a founding member of the Imperial Guard. She and the Guard first clash with theX-Men andStarjammers, on behalf ofD'Ken andDavan Shakari, over the fate of EmpressLilandra Neramani.[378] After the battle, Lilandra takes over as Majestrix, and the Guard swears allegiance to her.[379]
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Astra is amutant created byAlan Davis and first appearing inThe Uncanny X-Men #366.
She is one ofMagneto's first recruits from his originalBrotherhood of Evil Mutants.[380] She does not share Magneto's goals, and the two part ways as enemies.[380] Years later, she revives a mindwiped Magneto and clones him.[380] Astra orders the clone to kill the original, but the clone loses the battle and joins theX-Men under the name "Joseph".[381] Astra later uses him against Magneto and the X-Men.[382] Astra later recreates Joseph without memories and programs him to hate humankind.[383] She also creates mutated clones of other Brotherhood members.[384] TheStepford Cuckoos uncover Astra's collaboration with Christopher Bach, president of the organization Humans Now, to restore fear to Magneto's name.[385] Magneto defeated Joseph and his clone Brotherhood, but Astra escapes.[385]
Atom-Smasher is a name shared by three fictional characters in the Marvel Universe. Atom-Smasher generated atomic radiation, which he could project as heat, concussive force, orhard radiation. His energies enhanced his durability and he could also transform into pure energy, though even this form could be contained with lead, graphite, or other radiation dampeners.
The first Atom-Smasher first appeared inBlack Goliath #1 (February 1976) and was created byTony Isabella andGeorge Tuska.
The character subsequently appears inBlack Goliath #2-3 (April–June 1976), in which he is killed. The character appears posthumously inMarvel Two-in-One #55 (September 1979), andMarvel Fanfare #3 (July 1982).[386][387]
Ronald English used a Nucleonic Radiator to become the super-villain Atom-Smasher, and was capable of transforming his body into pure energy. He foughtBlack Goliath, but was killed byWarhawk.[volume & issue needed]
The second Atom-Smasher appeared inMarvel Two-in-One #85 (March 1982) and was created byTom DeFalco andRon Wilson.
The character appears posthumously inMarvel Fanfare #3 (July 1982).
Michael English was the brother of the original Atom-Smasher, also capable of transforming his body into pure energy. He was killed in an explosion during a battle withSpider-Woman.[volume & issue needed]
The third Atom-Smasher appeared inIron Man #287 (December 1992) and was created by Len Kaminski and Kevin Hopgood. He was given a real name inIron Manual 3 (2009).
Kevin Leonardo was an employee ofStane International's nuclear production plant in Southern California. He learns that old radioactive by-products of the plant that were left to accumulate are seeping into groundwater. He complains to his superiors, but is shot, dumped into a toxic waste canister, and thrown out to sea. He is reborn with radioactive power and seeks revenge. Atom-Smasher plans to blow up the plant and is confronted byIron Man. After he defeats Iron Man, the government sendsFirepower, a government agent, to stop him. Firepower and Iron Man fight Atom-Smasher, but when Iron Man learns Atom-Smasher's history, he offers to shut down all of Stark's nuclear industry holdings in exchange for Atom-Smasher not destroying the plant. He then distracts Firepower with an EMP wave so that Atom-Smasher could get away, even though it immobilized him. Impressed with Iron Man's show of trust, Atom-Smasher leaves in peace.[388]
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Atum (also known asDemogorge) is a being in theMarvel Universe, named after the Egyptian godAtum. The character, created by Alan Zelenetz, first appeared inThor Annual #10 in 1982.
Within the context of the stories, Atum is the son of the entity known as the Demiurge and the Elder God Gaea. A golden humanoid imbued with the power of the Sun itself, Atum kills the warring Elder Gods and, absorbing their life force, is changed by their evil energies and devolves into a huge, hulking demonic being—Demogorge, the God Eater. Only Chthon andSet survive by fleeing into alternate dimensions. With Gaea the only Elder God remaining, the God Eater sheds the Elder Gods' energies and becomes Atum, journeying to the Sun and hibernating there.[389] During this long period of hibernation, Atum takes on the identity of Ammon-Ra, and forms theOgdoad, the primordial gods of ancient Egypt.[390]
Thousands of years later, a group of eight Death Gods from various pantheons combine their mystical might to join all the Hells into one vast dimension. This act forces the reemergence and intervention of the Demogorge, who consumed all but the fleeing Hela. A champion from each pantheon is sent to stop Demogorge and prevent further disaster. Led byThor, the champions find the God Eater and battle it. Demogorge is defeated by Thor, who plunges into one of its orifices and attacks the God Eater's inner workings. Damaged beyond repair, the entity can no longer contain the energies it has consumed and releases all the previously consumed gods, and restores the Hells to their rightful dimensions.[391]
InSecret Invasion, the alienSkrulls invade Earth at the behest of their deities,Kly'bn andSl'gur't. Acadre of gods consisting ofHercules,Snowbird,Amatsu-Mikaboshi andAjak is formed to combat the Skrull gods, with Atum joining the Earthly pantheon at the request ofHorus. He compares himself to a shepherd defending his flock, which he will one day eat.[392] During the confrontation, Atum is killed after trying to devour Sl'gur't, who tears him apart from the inside.[393]
Later, after Thor is slain battling the evil Serpent,[394] his divine soul travels to an afterlife for gods, where he joins many other deities who appear to have died and are all on their way to be devoured by Demogorge; apparently a being such as he can never truly be destroyed.[395] Nevertheless, Thor defeats him by smashing his heart after entering his body, and escapes him once again.
Zhao Tang (Auric) is a mutant character inMarvel Comics. He was created by James Hudnall and John Calimee and first appeared inAlpha Flight (Vol. 1) #76 (July, 1989). He has the ability to generate optic heat blasts, fire, and can also fly.[396]
He and his twin sister Jhimon (Silver) were trained by the Chinese Communist government in their powers, and were set to join their super team, China Force. After defections within the team, the pair fled toHong Kong. They later moved to Canada and were offered citizenship if they joinedGamma Flight.
The team soon disbanded and the twins joinedBeta Flight, but were soon kidnapped and experimented on until their deaths. Their bodies were set to be auctioned off by the Chess Set, but this was interrupted by theNew Warriors andSpider-Man. The base was destroyed, and the twins bodies fused with a scientist into an energy being before leaving for space.[397]
First appearance | Fantastic Four #577 (May2010) |
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Created by | Jonathan Hickman,Dale Eaglesham |
Species | Dire WraithInhuman (formerly) Dire Wraith Goddess |
Teams | Inhuman Royal Family |
Abilities |
|
Aliases | Adoe |
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Avoe is a fictional deity created byJonathan Hickman andDale Eaglesham and first appeared inFantastic Four #577.
Avoe was the queen and goddess of the Inhuman Dire Wraiths, who had evolved throughExogenesis. Her people made up one fourth of the Universal Inhumans who responded to Earth's moon when searching forBlack Bolt, the Midnight King of prophesy.[398] After the return of Black Bolt, Avoe became one of his queens.[399]
During the "Infinity" storyline, whenThanos invaded Earth and made Black Bolt destroy Attilan,[400] Avoe and the other Universal Inhumans fled Earth to find a new place to live, eventually settling on Centauri IV.[401]
When theKree Empire begun ordering all surviving Inhumans to join them or die, the Universal Inhumans arranged a secret meeting to discuss the situation. Before the Inhuman Royal Family arrived, the queens considered to surrender to the Kree, but instead the Kree send their Super-Inhuman soldier, Vox, who killed the queens and their attendants, to send a message to Black Bolt that he wasn't safe.[402]
Azazoth is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, created byAl Ewing andYıldıray Çınar and first appearing inX-Men: Red (Vol. 2) #14 (August 2023).
Azazoth was a telepathicArakkiimutant who was at some point imprisoned in the Tower of Broken Thought. Azazoth psychically amputated the six-year-oldFisher King's name, identity, and past at his request, making him telepathically undetectable.[329]
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