MISTER NEGATIVE

 

MISTER NEGATIVE

Real Name: Unrevealed

First Appearance: Free Comic Book Day: The Amazing Spider-Man, May 2007 (cameo); The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #546, January 2008 (full)

Powers: Mister Negative received superhuman abilities from the same experimental drug that gave Cloak and Dagger their powers. While the teen runaways gained individual powers over light and darkness, this former smuggler and human trafficker became an embodiment of both concepts. He is capable of assuming a Darkforce-based form, charging his body with energy so that he appears like a photographic negative. His normal and charged appearances each represent a different side of his character. As Mr. Negative, he continues on his former path as a crimelord and force of darkness, but he also operates as "Martin Li", a humanitarian whose personality is based on the history of one of his former "passengers" from smuggling illegal immigrants in from China. While Mr. Negative is fully aware of his history and status, Martin Li is not. Li ignores or blocks out knowledge of his activities as Mr. Negative most of the time. The crimelord has occasionally demonstrated the ability to influence Li's actions or even dominate his form, exerting his powers through Li. There is still a balance being served, however, as Negative has occasionally involuntarily reverted to Li before he's ready.

As Mr. Negative, he channels a power related to the Darkforce, but it operates very differently than any previous use of that extra-dimensional force. Presumably he, like the Spot, draws his abilities not from the Darkforce Dimension itself, but from a similar neighboring dimension. His negative charge provides Mr. Negative with superhuman strength, reaction time, and resistance to all forms of physical injury. In addition to pure strength, he can also charge his blows or weapons with an energy field of reversing polarities. This "negative charge" has an electro-repulsive effect that makes objects more resilient as they strike while generating a disruptive energy pulse and repeling on impact, which all combines to make the weapon substantially more effective. Mr. Negative also has his corrupting touch, using a "negative charge" to manipulate the personalities of other people. The more inherently good a person is, the greater the reversal of their true nature. That true nature cannot be completely overcome, however, as individuals like Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, and even Aunt May have shaken off the corruption when their capacity for good vs. evil is tested. The effect of the corruption varies: May suffered no obvious physical changes, but merely a negative reflection of her character for several weeks. Other characters are overtly covered with a "negative charge" and become violent servants in the name of Mr. Negative. Shang-Chi uniquely became "evil", but had a strong enough will or sense of balance to reject Mr. Negative's control and nearly overthrow the crimelord. Mr. Negative can also use his corruption to create his Inner Demons, henchmen whom he has enhanced with his powers to be virtually unkillable. The Inner Demons can survive multiple forms of lethal injury, including bullet wounds, dismemberment or disemboweling. Their power and will are bound to Mr. Negative (or at least to HIS power, as they remained frozen and unable to choose between Negative and Shang-Chi when the latter nearly usurpted his power). The corrupted White Dragon was shot and killed by the Hood, though, so all of Mr. Negative's corrupted victims do not gain the same regenerative powers as the Inner Demons.

Finally, Martin Li seems to have powers of his own. He possesses a healing touch that has miraculously cured broken bones, permanent paralysis, even purging Eddie Brock of cancer. In fact, his healing effect merged with the traces of the Venom symbiote in Brock to create the Anti-Venom pseudo-symbiote. Martin seems unaware of his healing powers for the most part, and its possible this side of Mr. Negative has other abilities he is unaware of as well.