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| Vermin | |
|---|---|
_from_Fear_Itself_Spider-Man_Vol_1_1_001.jpg) Vermin as depicted inFear Itself: Spider-Man #1 (May 2011). Art byMike McKone (penciler/inker) and Jeremy Cox (colorist). | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Captain America #272 (August 1982)[1] |
| Created by | J. M. DeMatteis Mike Zeck |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Edward Whelan |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | New Revengers Sewer Enclave |
| Partnerships | Baron Zemo Armin Zola |
| Abilities |
As Vermin:
|
Vermin (Edward Whelan) is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an adversary ofCaptain America andSpider-Man. Ageneticist working forBaron Zemo andArnim Zola, Edward Whelan was subjected to an experiment that mutated him into a humanoid rat, gaining superhuman abilities, as well as the predatory instincts of a rat. The character's most notable appearance was in the storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt".
The character's first appearance was inCaptain America #272 (August 1982).[2] He was created byJ. M. DeMatteis andMike Zeck.[3]
He became an antagonist for Spider-Man as well inMarvel Team-Up #128 (April 1983), fighting both Captain America and Spider-Man.[4] These initial stories established Vermin as a tragic figure mutated byBaron Zemo's experiments.
Vermin gained prominence during the 1987 storyline "Kraven's Last Hunt", appearing across multiple Spider-Man titles.[5] The character was further explored in "The Child Within" arc inSpectacular Spider-Man #178-184 (1991-1992), which delved into his traumatic backstory and temporary reversion to human form underAshley Kafka's care.[6]
In recent years, Vermin has appeared in major crossover events including the "Hunted" arc inAmazing Spider-Man vol. 5 #16-23 (2019), where he was captured byArcade and gained the ability to clone himself.[7]
Edward Whelan suffered severe physical and sexualabuse as a child from his father.[8] As an adult, he is ageneticist working forHelmut Zemo andPrimus, who later experiment on him and transform him into a cannibalistic, humanoid rat. Vermin is defeated byCaptain America and turned over toS.H.I.E.L.D.[9] He escapes S.H.I.E.L.D., however, and returns to the service of Zola and Zemo.[10]
Vermin eventually escapes the asylum, and attacks his parents at their home inScarsdale. He is captured by Spider-Man and returned to psychiatric care. Whelan returns to his human form after being treated byAshley Kafka,[8] but later returns to his Vermin form.[11]
InAll-New, All-Different Marvel, Vermin appears as a member ofMaker'sNew Revengers.[12]
During the "Hunted" storyline, Vermin is captured byArcade. He bites Arcade in the finger and mentions thatLizard andTaskmaster are working against him. Arcade injects Vermin with a serum that causes him to spawn clones of himself. When the Vermin clones attack Spider-Man, he is saved byKraven the Hunter.[13]
A slew of Whelen's clones are seen kidnapping residents from a local New York stretch that had fallen under the care ofMoon Knight for company and food restock. The titular vigilante assailed them until he managed to talk them down and let them free to retreat to the sewers on the grounds that they would not assault his protectees again.[14]
Edward would eventually turn up human again, serving as an orderly atRavencroft while under the remedial care of Ashley Kafka.[15] Dutifully working under her supervision to ensure that the inmates received humane and proper treatment while under their care. The institute would come under assault by a clone ofBen Reilly namedSpidercide, wherein the deranged replicate would rewire Edward's brain chemistry to revert to being Vermin again. But he would still retain enough of his newfound conscience to help Scarlet Spider stop the Asylum riot his enemy had caused.[16]
Having suffered a relapse into feral ways, Whelan is seen backed by an army of Vermin attacking Central Park. Evidently to draw outSpider-Girl, as the prime Vermin wore some harness around his neck, presumably being puppeteered by an advocate to The Sisterhood of the Wasp, who sought to study her quarry in action.[17]
Again, the now animalistic Vermin would reappear, as Parker had suffered a subtle emotional breakdown, which caused him to become more ruthless and uncompromising, having thrown Kraven the Hunter into a pit of swarming Vermin clones for undisclosed reasons.[18]
During the "Gang War" storyline, Vermin and his clones attack the F.E.A.S.T. building amidst the gang wars. They are repelled bySpider-Boy.[19]
Whelan would strike again asGhost Spider was busy escorting one of theChameleon, whose own abilities had been modified and overloaded due to an electric power surge. The two enemies would work together to subdue his enclave and escape the sewers.[20]
Vermin and his army of undergrounders would re-encounter Moon Knight after his midnight mission had been upended and those under his care had been rendered as fugitives.[21] They would recommence their blood feud with Moon Knight killing another of his duplicates before setting the rest on fire as he fought his way through them.
Vermin was later brought into theSewer Enclave byMiles Morales' cloneShift.[22]
Doctor Tramma later dispatches Vermin to go afterSpider-Girl. He attacks her at the Red Snow martial arts studio that she is attending. During the fight, Spider-Girl is surprised that Vermin knows her true identity as more Vermin clones arrive. She manages to copy Vermin's powers and orders the Vermin clones to take Vermin back to his home and "rat off". Spider-Girl then starts to figure out that a woman conducting experiments was the one who sent Whelan.[23]
Vermin's strength was enhanced by the experimental mutagenic process designed byArnim Zola, and forced upon him. He resembles a humanoid rat and possesses enhanced strength, durability, senses, and agility.
Vermin has the ability to control rats and dogs within a two-mile (3 km) radius of himself.[24] Edward learned to shift between human and Vermin form.[25]
Thanks to an augmentative gene-therapy administered by the villainousArcade, Vermin developed a new facility to self-replicate through acceleratedmitosis.[26]
In 2021,Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Vermin 5th in their "Marvel: 10 Characters Baron Zemo Created In The Comics" list.[27]
An alternate universe version of Edward Whelan from Earth-71290 appears inSpider-Society #2. This version works as an assistant toAshley Kafka atRavencroft.[28]
An alternate universe version of Edward Whelan / Vermin fromEarth-1610 appears inAll-New Ultimates #7. This version previously worked forS.H.I.E.L.D. until it was dissolved. Following this, he took to living in a sewer system where he developed a psychic connection to Agent Crock and the two became tyrants until they encountered the Young Ultimates. In the ensuing fight,Shadowcat kills Crock, which kills Vermin as well due to their connection.[29]
An alternate universe version of Vermin fromEarth-6160 makes a minor appearance inUltimate Spider-Man (2024) as one of several villains defeated bySpider-Man andGreen Goblin.[30]
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