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| Dr. Karl Malus | |
|---|---|
_from_Superior_Carnage_Vol_1_2_001.jpg) Karl Malus as seen inSuperior Carnage #2. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Spider-Woman #30 (Sept. 1980) |
| Created by | Michael Fleisher Steve Leialoha Jim Mooney |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Karlin Malus |
| Species | Human–Symbiote hybrid |
| Team affiliations | Corporation Frightful Four |
| Notable aliases | Superior Carnage |
| Abilities | Brilliant surgeon Gifted intellect Great knowledge of chemistry, genetic manipulation and radiology Via symbiote: Ability to mimic the powers and weaknesses of alien symbiote creatures |
Dr. Karl Malus (/ˈmɑːləs/) is a fictionalmad scientist and criminal appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. He played a part in the origins ofArmadillo,Hornet,Falcon II, and many other characters.
Dr. Karl Malus appeared in thesecond season of theMarvel Cinematic Universe television seriesJessica Jones, portrayed byCallum Keith Rennie.[1]
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Malus first appeared inSpider-Woman #30 (Sept. 1980) and was created byMichael Fleisher,Steve Leialoha andJim Mooney.[2] He was featured several times opposite of Captain America and Sam Wilson as Captain America. He was also briefly a member of theFrightful Four.[3]
Karl Malus was born in Mud Butte,South Dakota. He became asurgeon and researcher. He was later the founder of the Institute for Supranormality Research and became a criminalscientist.
In his first appearance, Malus performs illegal medical experiments funded by theEnforcer to find out more aboutsuperhumans and their abilities. He is approached by theHuman Fly, asupervillain who was losing his powers. Malus sends the Human Fly to steal equipment, attracting the attention ofSpider-Woman. Malus offers to cure Spider-Woman's friend Scotty McDowell, who was rendered comatose by one of the Enforcer's poison bullets, in exchange for leniency. Spider-Woman agrees, but while curing McDowell, Malus also experiments on him using Human Fly's DNA, which transforms him intoHornet. Malus is sent to prison, but is released to "help" authorities battle Hornet. In actuality, he desires to capture and study Spider-Woman. Malus later contacts Hornet, who he keeps drugged and aggressive for his own purposes.[4]
Malus then contactsJack Russell, a man cursed withlycanthropy, and tells him he could help cure his transformations. Instead, he placed a control collar on Russell and sent him and Hornet after Spider-Woman. She was able to defeat both of them and freed Russell, who then attacked Malus.[5]
Malus later studies the criminalDaddy Longlegs, who gained his powers from a modified growth-serum used byBlack Goliath. With this knowledge, Malus hopes to restore the powers ofErik Josten. He gives Josten growth powers and enhanced strength, turning him into the supervillainGoliath, but Goliath rejects his offer of partnership and is defeated by theWest Coast Avengers.[6]
Malus also transforms Antonio Rodriguez into theArmadillo by splicing him with the genetic material of anarmadillo. Malus encounteredCaptain America soon after that.[7]
Malus later works for thePower Broker (Curtiss Jackson), using his technology to augment the strength of paying customers to superhuman levels. The process is tremendously risky, with half the subjects dying or becoming deformed, but this information is kept secret. Power Broker and Malus also used highly addictive drugs on their subjects, telling them that the chemical is necessary to stabilize their powers, but in fact serves to keep the subjects working for them.[8]
When Power Broker, Inc. is attacked by theScourge of the Underworld, Curtiss Jackson is exposed to his own augmentation device and rendered overly muscular and immobile. Malus takes advantage of this situation by using Bludgeon andMangler to abductVagabond. Malus sends Vagabond, who knows Jackson, to obtain a copy of his fingerprints so that Malus can access Jackson's personal accounts and vaults. He uses an explosive wristband to force Vagabond's cooperation, but she manages to knock Malus out, destroy the fingerprint mold, place the band on his wrist, and inject him with the drug he had planned to use on her.[9]
Malus then attempts to learn the secret ofDaredevil's prowess andMadcap's invulnerability. He battlesHawkeye alongside Triphammer, Pick-Axe, Vice, and Handsaw.[10]
The Power Broker has Malus' legs broken for his betrayal, then promptly re-hires him to try to cure his condition. Malus captures and experiments on several augmented individuals to perfect the de-augmentation process, includingBattlestar, which draws the attention of theU.S. Agent. Together, Battlestar and the Agent free the captured wrestlers and destroy Malus' equipment and records.[11]
Malus has since worked for a variety of criminal organizations, including the Corporation and theMaggia.[volume & issue needed] He also worked with the Avengers and the Thunderbolts in their efforts to defeatCount Nefaria in exchange for a reduced sentence.[12][13]
Karl Malus is recruited by theWizard to become a new member of theFrightful Four, during which he is forcibly bonded toCarnage.[14] He is later eaten by Carnage, who was possessing Wizard at the time.[15]
Malus returns in "All-New, All-Different Marvel", having survived, become asymbiote hybrid, and continued his experimentation as an employee ofSerpent Solutions.[16][17] One of his subjects isJoaquín Torres, who is transformed into a bird hybrid and later becomes the secondFalcon.[16]
Dr. Karl Malus possesses a gifted intellect. He has an MD specializing in surgery and a master's degree in biochemistry. Malus is a brilliant surgeon with a great knowledge of chemistry, genetic manipulation, and radiology.
Following his ingestion by Carnage, Malus has gained the ability to mimic the powers and weaknesses of alien symbiote creatures.[16]
Karl Malus appears in thesecond season ofJessica Jones, portrayed byCallum Keith Rennie.[1] This version is one of several doctors who runs IGH, a biotech clinic specializing in state-of-the-art reconstructive surgery. Years prior, whenJessica Jones and her motherAlisa are critically injured in a car accident, Malus arranged for them to be transferred to his clinic so he could save them. Jessica was released after three weeks while Alisa's recovery took several years as she suffered more extensive damage. Over the course of treating her, Malus developed romantic feelings for Alisa, going so far as to cover up her accidentally killing of one of his nurses by framing a janitor for it and eventually marrying her. WhenTrish Walker begins investigating IGH in the present, Malus allows Alisa to murder the clinic's subjects and associates. Jessica later spots Malus and Alisa at an aquarium, though they escape.[18][19] Malus and Jessica get into an argument, with the former claiming he truly loves Alisa despite her condition before fleeing after the mother and daughter argue and fight.[20] After Jessica turns in Alisa, she tracks down Malus again and manages to convince him to work with her to end his work so Alisa can find peace.[21] However, Trish abducts him in an attempt to force him to give her superpowers similar to Jessica's, but Jessica foils the procedure before it can be finished. Not wanting to kill Malus, Jessica spares him. With nothing left to live for, Malus commits suicide by destroying his lab.[22]
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