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| Doctor Lemuel Dorcas | |
|---|---|
 Lemuel Dorcas as depicted inThunderbolts #171 (May 2012). Art byKev Walker. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Sub-Mariner #5 (September 1968) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas (writer) John Buscema (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Lemuel Dorcas |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Partnerships | Attuma Byrrah Warlord Krang Tiger Shark |
| Abilities |
|
Lemuel Dorcas is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He is notable for playing a part in the origins ofNamor villainsTiger Shark,Orka, andPiranha.
Dr. Lemuel Dorcas first appeared inSub-Mariner #5-6 (September-October 1968), and was created byRoy Thomas andJohn Buscema.
The character subsequently appeared inSub-Mariner #15 (July 1969), #23-24 (March-April 1970), #33 (January 1971),Marvel Team-Up #14 (October 1973), andSuper-Villain Team-Up #1-3 (August-December 1975). The character made a posthumous appearance inMarvel Tales #249 (May 1991), and his body was later dumped into the ocean inNamor #42 (September 1993).
Doctor Dorcas received an entry in theOfficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #17.
Dr. Lemuel Dorcas is a human scientist and would-be conqueror. Dorcas is responsible for transforming Olympic swimmer Todd Arliss into the superhumanTiger Shark by augmenting him with the DNA ofNamor and atiger shark. Dorcas plans to use Tiger Shark as a pawn in his schemes of world conquest.[1][2][3]
Dorcas forms alliances with Namor's enemiesKrang andByrrah, with Krang providing his followerOrka as a test subject. Dorcas gives Orka powers akin to aorca and uses him to attackAtlantis, but is thwarted by Namor and Tiger Shark.[4][2][3][5]
Dorcas was also inadvertently responsible for the creation ofPiranha, a normal piranha who was exposed to radiation from Dorcas' previous experiment and mutated into a humanoid form.[6][2][5]
Dorcas is seemingly killed during a battle with Namor after one ofAttuma's war machines crushes him.[7] Long after his apparent death, Dorcas is revealed to have survived due to conducting experiments withstarfish, giving him regenerative abilities.[3] After setting up a base inTetiaroa Atoll, Dorcas mutates several creatures to serve him and keeps them under his control with neuroleeches. Dorcas develops an obsession forSongbird and captures her, only for her to escape and turn his henchmen against him.[8]
Lemuel Dorcas initially did not possess powers, but had genius-level intellect. Upon resurfacing following his apparent death, Dorcas mutated himself with starfish tissue, giving him starfish-like features. This allows him to breathe underwater and regrow lost limbs.[8]
He employed many devices ranging from the Morphotron to laser guns andnuclear bombs.[9]
An alternate universe version of Lemuel Dorcas from Earth-1610 appears in theUltimate Marvel reality. This version is an Atlantean who serves as an advisor toNamora.[10]
[Dorcas] is a marine biologist and inventor who often experimented on human subjects, granting them superhuman abilities and using them in his world-domination schemes. Doctor Dorcas is best known for acting as a puppet master, manipulating events behind the scenes to inflict damage on Namor. Indeed, he contributed to the creation of several other Namor villains, mainly Tiger Shark, Orka, and Piranha. Dorcas usually allied with other, more powerful characters, including the warlord Krang and Namor's cousin, Byrrah.
Doctor Lemuel Dorcas is a classic example of a mad scientist. Through his extensive knowledge of undersea life, Dorcas hoped to conquer the world. Dorcas's specialties have led him to continual conflict with the Scourge of the Seven Seas as he frequently has made alliances with Atlantean malcontents. Dorcas has used his scientific knowledge to mutate a variety of humanoids into monstrous beings, ranging from giving Orka killer whale-like powers to transforming himself into a horrifying sea star-like being.