SHADOWOMAN

 

SHADOWOMAN

Real Name: Jillian Marie Woods

First Appearance: Quasar (Vol. 1) #45, February 1993

Powers: Jillian Marie Woods has a baseline human who gained superhuman powers at the moment of her death. The lover of Doctor Druid, a small fragment of her ebbing soul was sustained through magic and used to animate her own living shadow via energies from the Darkforce Dimension. She could now appear as flesh and blood, and manifest any set of civilian or costumed garb for herself. Jillian could transform herself into a shade of darkness, immune to physical harm, capable of flight and of passing through solid objects. She could also manifest her shadow-form externally, expelling streams of tangible darkness as blasts from her hands, creating a giant shadow that could cast darkness over wide areas, elongating and enlarging her limbs or transforming them into claws, blades, or tendrils of dark matter. As Sepulcre, she was also capable of creating intangible "zones of null perception" which engulfed her opponents and blocked out all their senses in an area of total blackness and silence. Even the Silver Surfer's cosmic senses muffled by this, and it was suggested that this zone was actually a separate pocket space of reality, meaning an opponent could wander about endlessly within it.

MISTER FEAR

 

MISTER FEAR

Real Name: Alan Fagan

First Appearance: Marvel Team-Up (Vol. 1) #92, April 1980

History: A baseline human with no superhuman powers, Alan Fagan is the nephew of Larry Cranston, the original Mister Fear. Upon his uncle's death, Alan was bequeathed his Mister Fear paraphernalia and became a professional criminal.

Mr. Fear's gun shoots pellets containing "fear gas," a compound based on flight scent pheromones; inhalation of the gas induces a gradual state of anxiety, fear and eventual outright panic, theoretically rendering victims incapable of resisting Fear's will.

The pellets rupture on contact, their effect lasting anywhere from five to fifteen minutes depending on each victim's physical constitution, and the gas can also be absorbed through the skin at a slower rate; after effects of edginess and mild nausea can persist for days following exposure. Fear once used a hypodermic ring to inject concentrated dosages of his fear compound and occasionally carries other weapons, such as an enerqy-discharge qun; he briefly wore a protective armored exoskeleton. He has access to pheromone variations, including one which renders him exceptionally appealing to women. Although Fear's skin is saturated with fear pheromones as a result of careless research and use, he seems to derive no superhuman powers from this condition.

BLUE BLAZE

 

BLUE BLAZE

Real Name: Spencer Keen

First Appearance: Mystic Comics (Vol. 1) #1, January 1940

Powers: Originally a baseline human with no superhuman powers, Spencer Keen was a college student in 1852 when his scientist father discovered a flaming azure energy which he dubbed a "blue blaze". Dr. Keen's tests of the "blue blaze" on mice and insects killed them, but those creatures revived months later with enhanced strength and longevity. Shortly thereafter, Spencer was on his way to a masquerade ball wearing a blue costume when a tornado struck his college, killing 85% of the population and striking him with the "blue blaze", leaving him apparently slain. Left in his blue costume during the hasty mass burial and never processed by a mortician, Spencer spent decades in his grave in a form of suspended animation, his strength and durability slowly increasing while he subconsciously monitored the outside world's development via sub-strata dermatic rays. These rays showed him an increasingly corrupt world, and the dormant Keen dreamed of someday battling that corruption. Exactly 88 years after his burial, in 1940 Spencer rose from his grave, foiling grave robbers and adopting the super-hero identity of the Blue Blaze.

The Blue Blaze has Class 100 superhuman strength at peak energy levels, more often manifesting Class 10 strength. Superhumanly durable, he is totally bulletproof. During periods when he returns to his grave, a strange cosmic force periodically renders him intangible and moves him through the Earth to scenes of evil activity, where he rises from the ground and solidifies. If his strength is depleted through exertion or trauma, he can recharge it with a blue flame from his portable lighter.

A gifted amateur scientist he is skilled in physics, chemistry, astronomy and engineering. Keen sometimes wields two handguns. His hidden mountain retreat housed radio equipment, an observatory, a scientific laboratory and devices capable of long-distance energy detection and analysis. His specially modified roadster, said to be supercharged and capable of unlimited speed, may have been an early electric car powered by Keen's own quasi-electrical "blue blaze" energy.

GENOSHA

 

 

GENOSHA

First Appearance: The Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #235, August 1988

History: Genosha was an Island nation located in the Indian Ocean, east of the African continent, north of the Seychelles Islands, and midway between those islands and Madagascar. For centuries, Genosha served as a haven for corsairs who roved the Indian Ocean, and it is rumored to have been visited by the legendary Sinbad. The island was sailed during the great ages of Western exploration of the African continent and Southeast Asia. Later, Genosha became almost entirely populated by Caucasians, primarily of Anglo-Saxon descent. English was the national language, though there has been no information as to whether Genosha had a native population before it was settled by Westerners.

At first, trade was the basis of the Genoshan economy, facilitated by the superb natural harbor of the island’s Hammer Bay. But then, iron ore and other precious metals were discovered in Genosha’s Ridgeback Mountains, and the steel industry eventually became the leading component of the Genoshan economy. At its peak, Genosha claimed to produce the finest steel on Earth at low cost and with a minimum of pollution. In later years, Genosha was making major strides in computer and space technology. The country was self-sufficient agriculturally, and it was in many respects technologically-advanced over even nations like the United States.

Genosha’s greatest scientific progress was in the area of genetic engineering, in which it made advances far beyond those of any other nation. It was on Genosha's advances in genetic engineering that much of the rest of the country's economy was based. For Genosha, although described by its government and mass media as "a green and pleasant land”, was in fact, a technocratic nation whose socio-economic infrastructure was built on the backs of its superhuman mutant population. The Genoshan government’s Genetics Directorate, which supervised its genetic engineering operations, was headed by an official known as the Genegineer. The most prominent Genegineer was a scientist named Dr. David Moreau. Moreau, a patriotic scientisit, endeavored to serve his country. When the mutant known as the Sugar Man from the reality of Earth-295 crossed over into Earth-616’s Genosha over 20 years prior to the present, he brought with him knowledge of genetic engineering taught to him by Mr. Sinister of Earth-295. In exchange for a secluded power base, he gave his knowledge to Dr. Moreau, allowing him to implement a process which turns mutants into slaves known as the Mutate Bonding Process.

As per policy, all Genoshan citizens were examined by the government at the age of 13 for signs of active or latent mutant abilities. Those adolescents who proved to have mutant abilities were forced into government service. The young mutants were subjected to genetic engineering to enhance their mutant abilities or to alter those abilities into ones the government believes will be more serviceable to its needs. For example, the young Genoshan mutant Jennifer Ransome possessed a mutant psionic ability to reshape flesh that would have enabled her to perform medical work. However, since the Genoshan government claimed to have a surplus healers, her ability was altered into psionic power to reshape rock, stone, and steel, which would be useful for the mining and steel industries. The Genoshan government asserted that its requirement that a mutant enter its official labor force was not slavery, but a form of service comparable to the draft in other nations. The Genoshan government insisted that the mutants must sacrifice their own freedom of action to benefit the vast majority of Genoshan citizens and the mutants were treated well.

In actuality, however, the Genoshan mutants were slaves who were subjected to treatment that was in many ways more inhumane than that of perhaps any other enslaved race in Earth's history. Genoshan mutants subjected to the Mutate Bonding Process were known as “Mutates” and the Process consisted of the following: First, they were not allowed to be called by name. Instead, they were identified by code numbers which were tattooed to their foreheads. In most cases, Mutates, both male and female, were forced to keep their heads shaven. Mutates had "skinsuits" permanently bonded to their bodies that cover them except for their heads or, in some cases, their faces. The skinsuits made their wearers identifiable as mutants. The skinsuits served to protect the mutants from injury and the elements, and were "sealed systems" which recycled bodily wastes.

The skinsuits also prevented the mutants from engaging in sexual intercourse. However, the Genegineer extracted genetic material from the mutants in order to create clones to his specifications, who would grow up to have superhuman abilities. The clones grew to the point of birth in an area called the *creche" in the Citadel of the Genetics Directorate.

Finally, Genoshan mutants were subjected to psionic brainwashing and removal of their memories. The Genegineer devised a new set of memories which were then imprinted on the mutant's mind psionically. By these means, the government intended to make the mutant slaves more submissive; in fact, however, the process proved ineffective in suppressing the slaves hatred towards their oppressors.

At least one session of the Mutate Bonding Process also included psychokinetic conditioning, during which a Mutate’s will was bound to a specific Magistrate in a master/slave relationship, so that they would never disobey.

After the mutant slaves completed their work for their human masters for the day, they boarded a train called the "M-Special," which transported them to the Mutant Settlement Zone, an area of Genosha that lied on the other side of the Ridgeback Mountains, which bisect the island, from the area in which non-mutant Genoshans live. The Mutant Settlement Zone was, in effect, an enormous prison camp.

Armed guards known as Magistrates, belonging to Genosha's Security Directorate, forced the mutant slaves to obey the government's dictates, and hunt down and capture any mutant who attempts escape. Genosha's Chief Magistrate was a woman named Anderson a team of Magistrates comprised of willing Genoshan mutants known as the Press Gang hunted down rebellious escaped mutants in special cases. It was Genoshan policy that Genoshan citizenship was permanent and recognized no emigration policy. Hence, the Press Gang would forcibly return a Genoshan living outside his or her native land to Genosha.

The Mutate population was comprised of several hundred individuals out of the total population of ten million. The general populace of Genosha remained unaware of many of the details concerning the treatment of Genoshan mutants. Only members of the Genoshan Genetics and Security Directorates were permitted to see the Mutant Settlement Zone. However, since mutant slaves operated throughout Genosha, it must be pointed out that the majority of Genoshan citizens simply ignored the dehumanizing treatment of the mutants. Most Genoshan parents whose children were forced to leave them forever to enter the slave labor force tolerate and perhaps even approved of their fates. The Genoshan government guarded the secrets of its advances in genetic engineering, fearing lest they be stolen by other nations, who would then use them to create a mutant slave labor force of their own to facilitate competition with the Genoshan economy.

Ultimately, the Genoshan government crossed paths with the mutant heroes the X-Men, X-Factor, and the New Mutants, resulting in the defeat of the mutant-oppressive regime. The military quickly assumed temporary control of the government pending lawful elections, which resulted in a new pro-mutant government operating under sanctions imposed by the United Nations, despite Genosha having invested billions of dollars into the United States.

Soon after, the return of Magneto panicked the human Genoshans who feared this would incite their former slaves to rebel. A decision was made to eradicate the Mutates, but they fought back and the country descended into civil war. Magneto's former Acolyte Fabian Cortez attempted to take advantage of the situation and proclaimed himself leader of the rebellion. Following the assassination of the entire Genoshan government, Cortez declared himself president; however, his rule was brief as he was soon seemingly slain by Magneto's self-proclaimed successor Exodus, and the civil war was soon after quelled through the efforts of the X-Men and the Avengers. A new bipartisan government was formed by former mutate Jennifer Ransome and her lover Phillip Moreau, son of the Genoshan Genegineer. Mutate rights were soon restored; however, they refused to work without pay and as such the Genoshan economy collapsed, plunging the nation into another civil war.

When Magneto threatened the world with magnetic EMP waves, rendering any technology useless, the U.N. decided to offer him the opportunity to take over Genosha, believing he’d be too preoccupied with the country’s inner problems to pose a danger to the rest of the world. The United Nations-imposed sanctions continued after Magneto was ceded sovereignty of the country; however, after much rebuilding and reparation, Genosha sought the sanctions be lifted and that they be granted access to international monetary assistance to which end the United Nations (UN) appointed Magneto's daughter, the Scarlet Witch to act as an independent observer. Upon hearing of Magneto's imminent arrival on the island, many humans fled rather than live under his rule.

He also demanded that the United Nations honor his sovereignty, destroying their spy satellites and reconnaissance planes as a warning, and followed that up by announcing that he intended to close Genosha's borders completely. Magneto began a rebuilding process, facing a range of problems including an imminent famine, the Legacy Virus, and a new resistance movement operating out of the small fishing port of Carrion Cove, which he soon crushed after regaining his full powers. After the release of a cure for the Legacy Virus, Magneto found himself with a veritable army of Mutates and mutant immigrants with which to wage war on mankind; however, his plans were thwarted by the X-Men.

Later, Charles Xavier's genetic twin sister Cassandra Nova unleashed giant Sentinel robots on Genosha, decimating the island and its population. The island was placed under global interdict, with a security cordon set up to prevent anyone from leaving. Seeking to atone for the sins of his twin, Xavier left the X-Men to assist the survivors in rebuilding the nation, despite electronic devices no longer working on the island. Joined by Magneto, Xavier gathered a small band of heroes to aid in the reconstruction and oppose such threats as Unus and his gang, former Magistrates, Stripmine's scavengers, and the returned Sugar Man, as well as aiding neighboring nation Zanzibar against the Weaponeers. After a reality warp created by the Scarlet Witch (House of M), Xavier was missing and Magneto and his fellow Genoshan mutants were depowered.

After being repowered by Quicksilver's use of the Inhuman' Terrigen Mists, the majority of mutants left the island, leaving Magneto alone. He was later repowered by the Collective, but was subsequently seemingly killed in an explosion after a battle with the Avengers. He was later revealed to be alive, however, Genosha's reconstruction remains unfinished.

SANTA CLAUS

 

SANTA CLAUS

Real Name: Santa Claus

First Appearance: Strange Tales (Vol. 1) #34, February 1955

Powers: The history and powers of the man known as Santa Claus are wrapped in legend and possibly originate from a number of different beings. Though once registered as a mutant, part of his abilities appear to be mystical in origin, making it difficult to attribute his abilities to either source. In any case, Santa Claus's powers are the following:

Teleportation: Santa doesn’t fit down a chimney by converting his mass into a highly malleable state, nor does he do so by manipulating his bodily spatial dimensions. Instead, he converts his own matter into particles and then provides them a direction to travel in. He’s capable of carrying nearby people and objects with him as he teleports, and apparently does this through a general radius effect rather than pinpointing specific targets to transport. He commands a sleigh pulled by a number of magic flying reindeer - including Blitzen (a.k.a. Blixem & Blixen), Comet, Cupid, Dasher, Dancer, Donner (a.k.a. Dunder & Donder), Prancer, Rudolph and Vixen - and can also focus this ability through his reindeer, allowing him to travel the world in one night via sub-light speeds.

Immortality: Santa Claus and his reindeer all possess a stunted aging process. This gives them extended lifespans and renders their bodies nearly immune to the normal progression of vitality, making them impervious to the effects of aging.

Santa Sack: An unassuming bag that appears to be full of gifts is actually a portal to a dimensional void. Powered by his prescience, Santa can reach into his bag and retrieve any number of items (gifts, toys, etc.). This dimensional space is apparently infinite in its storage capacity.

Omnipathic Prescience: Though not a telepath, Santa is psionically attuned to the specific thoughts of the Earth’s entire population. Apparently, he projects waves of psionic energy into his environment that affixes itself to the lobes of human brains that govern morality. The waves analyze the benevolence and malevolence of people’s actions and relay that information back to Santa, allowing him to determine who’s been “naughty or nice” as well as their material wishes. The range of this ability is worldwide. This data is streamed into his mind faster than he can consciously and accurately scan it all. Though the information is present in his mind, it requires a combination of meditation, effort, and sheer willpower for him to locate and extract specific information upon command. He uses his elves to help him catalog all the data he’s ever been exposed to, allowing him to summon information in his mind at will by merely focusing on it. He also radiates a subtle, charismatic, charming effect on people, able to soften hardened hearts and convert criminals.

Matter Manipulation: Santa can manipulate the molecular structure of the matter comprising his bag’s dimensional space. He reshapes matter in accordance to the material wishes of those whom he senses via his prescience. He has transformed this matter into toys, vehicles, books, clothing, food, etc. and retrieves them from the dimensional void when appropriate. He can also manipulate matter according to his own whims, such as altering the size of objects, transforming living organisms into inanimate objects, and even generate snow.

Santa’s Home: Commonly known as “Santa’s Workshop”, his home exists as a pocket dimension adjacent to Earth. There’s an inter-dimensional portal between the workshop and Earth that exists somewhere in the North Pole. Earth’s physical laws apply to Santa’s workshop for the most part and has not been detected by humans for centuries.

Power Limitations: Though functionally immortal, Santa still requires food and breathing for bodily energy. He subconsciously encourages the occupants of the homes he visits on Christmas Eve to leave him cookies and milk. He enjoys the consumption, but uses these nutrients and saccharine molecules to partly maintain his vitality.

SWORDSMAN I

 

SWORDSMAN I

Real Name: Jacques Duquesne

First Appearance: Avengers (Vol. 1) #19, June 1965

Powers: A baseline human with no superhuman powers, Jacques "Jack" Duquesne was a master of swordsmanship, knife-throwing and the combat use of bladed weapons in general, the Swordsman was an exceptional hand-to-hand combatant, acrobat and strategist, with far more combat experience than most other Avengers.

He could even mesmerize or at least distract unwary opponents using the motions of his swinging blade and flashes of reflected light off its metal. He was a skilled pilot of the Avengers' supersonic Quinjets. An experienced thief, he accumulated knowledge of both ancient and modern architecture via many break-ins. During his pre-Avengers career, he wielded two traditional swords, one over a half-century old, but durable enough to slice through most metals; he later wielded a sword equipped with Makluan-based technology operated by buttons on its handle and hilt. This blade could project a concussive force beam, a disintegrating ray, a flame jet, heat rays, electrical bolts, ultra-sonic shockwaves, a ray which disrupted electrical impulses, or nerve gas which induced temporary unconsciousness. The Swordsman occasionally used other bladed weapons as necessary. He was a recovering alcoholic.

HAWKEYE II

 

HAWKEYE II

Real Name: Katherine Elizabeth Bishop

First Appearance: Young Avengers (Vol. 1) #1, February 2005 (As Kate Bishop); Young Avengers (Vol. 1) #12, Jume 2006 (As Hawkeye II)

Powers: Katherine "Kate" Bishop is a baseline human with no superhuman powers. However, she undertook an intensive physical fitness and self-defense training regimen while also studying archery, fencing, kickboxing, and various martial arts. While at Avengers Mansion, she modeled her costume and code-name after Hawkeye, "borrowing" the Swordsman's broadsword, Mockingbird's battle staves, and Hawkeye's bow and quiver of trick arrows.

Mockingbird's staves could link together into a quarterstaff or vaulting pole, the Swordsman's weapon could fire force blasts, electro-bolts, flames, a disintegration ray, or anesthetic gas, and Hawkeye carried a near endless supply of trick arrows. Captain America retook these weapons when he disbanded the group, but Kate apparently had replicas made when she began financing them. Whether these weapons had any special features is unknown, but after receiving Cap's approval, Kate was given a supply of trick arrows like Hawkeye would carry.

She has access to great wealth through her father (publishing magnate Derek Bishop) and is an excellent cellist.

ECHO

 

ECHO

Real Name: Maya Lopez

First Appearance: Daredevil (Vol. 2) #9, May 1999 (As Echo); New Avengers (Vol. 1) #11, September 2005 (As Ronin)

Powers: Echo possesses photographic reflexes: Anything she sees someone physically do, she can then duplicate. This refers only to physical actions, not superhuman powers, and is limited by her own body's fitness and ability to perform. Nonetheless, she has duplicated culinary skills by watching cooking shows, recreated observable musical talent like the piano, can fly or drive any vehicle like an expert after watching someone else do it, and has assimilated various fighting styles by watching martial artists in person or on video. This includes general disciplines such as kung fu or judo, and also the specific styles of individuals like Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Bullseye. After observing someone in action, she is generally able to anticipate and counter their every move, and can switch instantly between different fighting styles to keep her opponents off balance.

Maya has used various weapons in the past, such as a Vibranium-infused bo staff, nunchaku, throwing stars, tonfas, and a katana blade. Because she is deaf, Echo is virtually helpless in darkness, and so her Ronin outfit was apparently equipped with night vision lenses.

As a host for the Phoenix Force, Echo can draw power from the cosmic firebird. She can fly with the assistance of the Phoenix aura, using it as a defensive field, for propulsion, and to telekinetically strike out at her environment. Phoenix fire can burn like real flame, melting metals or igniting flammable materials. Echo uses the Phoenix Force to augment her strength by adding power to her blows. She can also conjure tangible constructs of Phoenix fire to express her learned skills, such as a piano or her tonfas. Maya sometimes manifests the Phoenix aura as a flock of normal sized firebirds instead of a single giant bird aura. She can direct these familiars at a distance or infuse Phoenix energy into other animals and lifeforms, using them as conduits and carriers for her power.

MENDEL STROMM

 

MENDEL STROMM

Real Name: Mendel Stromm

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #37, March 1966 (as Mendel Stromm); The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #411, May 1996 (as Gaunt); Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #3, August 2016 (as Robot Master)

Powers: Mendel Stromm is a genius roboticist and chemist. He currently exists as a cybernetically enhanced head on a robotic body; his body's capabilities are unrevealed. He formerly wore a harness that allowed him to control his robots mentally; the harness is now part of his cyborg implants. The prototype Goblin formula allowed Stromm to survive a massive heart attack, albeit in suspended animation. While in this state, however, his body decayed, leaving most of his organs useless. After his regeneration, he apparently became able to heal fully from fatal wounds; he presumably still has this ability in the limited amount of organic tissue he retains. Stromm's prototype battle armor possessed enhanced strength (lifting 15 tons); his second battlesuit possessed a machine gun, a spider-sense-neutralizing gas dispenser, and a large metal blade.

As Gaunt, Stromm wore an armored life-support suit that arrested his body's decay, maintained his body's functions, and allowed him to walk; the suit also granted him superhuman strength (lifting 10 tons) and included a knockout gas dispenser. Stromm has employed many robots throughout his criminal career, including: An amorphous, super-strong robot with the ability to climb walls; a humanoid robot equipped with a destruction beam; the Robot-Master, a robotic duplicate of himself, equipped with his own brain engrams, as well as super-strength and destructive eyebeams; hovering, sharp-clawed robots; Willis, Daisy and Gary, three robotic children with malleable limbs, super-strength and heat Vision, respectively; and a variety of humanoid and non-humanoid robots equipped with energy weapons employed to defend Stromm's Vermont mansion. The android Robot-Master developed several unique robots of its own design, including tiny brain-borers; a bug-eyed "hovering holocaust" with a super-strong grip and a powerful blaster; a multi-tentacled sphere; and a conical, rocket-powered "sinister slinky."

VERMIN

 

VERMIN

Real Name: Edward Whelan

First Appearance: Captain America (Vol. 1) #272, August 1982

Powers: Originally a baseline human with no superhuman powers, Edward Whelan was sexually abused by his father, a prominent judge, during childhood and developed a dissociative identity disorder to cope with the trauma. As an adult, he was captured by Baron Zemo, who used psycho-genetic engineering to mutate Whelan into the cannibalistic were-rat named Vermin.

Vermin possesses superhuman strength (lifting 1 ton) and agility as well as an enhanced olfactory (smell) sense allowing him to sense any approaching being from well over 100 feet away. He can run at 35 mph for half an hour without tiring. His inch-long nails and teeth are razor sharp and able to rend wood, fibers and soft metals. Vermin can communicate with and command all rats and dogs within a two-mile radius, though it is unrevealed whether this ability is hypersonic or telepathic in nature. When provoked or threatened, Vermin's resistance to pain and fatigue are increased. In his mutated state, his intelligence is diminished with his thought processes limited to primal instincts, though he is still capable of speech. For a time Vermin could revert to his human form at will. His personality as Vermin is an external manifestation of his dissociative identity disorder.

Edward Whelan hold a Master of Science degree in genetics, he has both a gifted intellect and extensive genetics knowledge.

OVERDRIVE

 

OVERDRIVE

Real Name: James Beverley

First Appearance: Free Comic Book Day 2007, May 2007

Powers: Originally a baseline human with no superhuman powers, James Beverley was an ardent Spider-Man fan and race car driver who gained special abilities after seeking employment with crimelord, Mr. Negative.  

As Overdrive, he is equipped with "nano-pimps" that allow him to transform any ground vehicle into a renovated form. Using an energy discharge from his hands as a delivery system, Overdrive can produce nanotech re-assemblers that have apparently been specifically programmed to upgrade vehicles for the perfect getaway. He has used sports cars, monster trucks, motorcycles, limos, even school buses in the past. Overdrive's nano-rides demonstrate increased speed, acceleration, cornering ability, and so on. Each reconfiguration so far has turned the vehicle jet-black and extended some form of metallic green exhaust pipe from the vehicle. Whether this is merely Overdrive's preferred detailing scheme or a programmed part of the conversion is unknown. Overdrive can apparently drive each vehicle simply through making contact with it, and can possibly make more substantial changes to the vehicle's design. For instance, he escaped from Mister Negative when the gangboss's Inner Demons put him in the trunk of a limo. Overdrive altered the stretch limo and somehow moved from the locked trunk to the front seat by doing so. The vehicles' reconfiguration is only temporary, and they revert back to normal shortly after breaking contact with Overdrive.

He appears to be an exceptionally skilled race car driver and mechanic. He wears a padded costume providing protection from impact.

KRAKOA

 

KRAKOA

Real Name: Krakoa

First Appearance: Giant Size X-Men (Vol. 1) #1, May 1975

History: Millennia ago, an unidentified powerful being wielding the Twilight Sword tore the land of Okkara in two, creating two separate islands: Arakko and Krakoa. To end the foe's threat, the mutant External named Apocalypse pushed Arakko through a chasm to the foe's home dimension (Amenth) and sealed shut the chasm. Apocalypse then set four of his agents, the Four (possibly the first of his Horsemen) to guard Krakoa and ensure the foe did not return through the Arak Maw, the portal to Arakko.

In the spring of 1945, an atomic bomb test detonation on Krakoa damaged a nearby plane carrying Sergeant Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos and forced the soldiers to parachute to the island. The bomb awakened Krakoa, after it had apparently spent millennia dormant and in pain. Krakoa tormented the Howling Commandos until Fury struck a deal with Krakoa, who stopped attacking the Commandos in exchange for keeping the island's sentience a secret when they left. Fury believed the atomic detonation granted Krakoa sentience, but this theory remains unconfirmed.

Years later, the mutant telepath named Charles Xavier detected Krakoa and sent his team of X-Men to investigate, believing it to be another mutant. When Krakoa captured the X-Men to use them as sustenance, Xavier contacted his ally (fellow mutant geneticist Dr. Moira MacTaggert) and convinced her to let her send her own four mutant students to rescue them. After only Cyclops was freed (two of the four were killed, while the remaining two were left incapacitated), Xavier gathered an international team of X-Men who rescued the captured team and then cast Krakoa into space. As it left Earth's atmosphere, the portion of Krakoa containing two of MacTaggert's students broke free and remained in Earth's orbit. Krakoa also released spores, some of which grew to sentience as Krakoa's "children". Eventually, Krakoa was found by the enigmatic Stranger, who took it to his laboratory world. Later, Krakoa somehow returned to the Pacific Ocean after Earth's Quasar (Wendell Vaughn) freed the Stranger's captives. Additionally, Dr. MacTaggert's remaining two students were eventually recovered and revived.

Many decades after these events, Professor Xavier, mutant supremacist Magneto (Max Eisenhardt) and Dr. MacTaggert (who was by this point believed dead) joined forces to establish a mutant nation-state. Xavier traveled to Krakoa and telepathically/empathically connected with the island, moving past their former rivalry. Believing the island to be the perfect location for the mutant nation, Xavier recruited his former student, the mutant omnilinguist Cypher (Douglas Ramsey) to help him communicate with Krakoa. Upon arrival, Cypher and his secret companion Warlock of the Technarchy (disguised as a circuitry sheath covering Cypher's right arm) quietly infected a Krakoan plant with a techno- organic virus; the reason for this action and any results from it are unrevealed. After learning of Krakoa's separation from Arakko millennia before, Cypher remained on the island to strengthen their relationship, prepare for the mutant nation and build the necessary interface that would allow mutants to interact with Krakoa.

At some point. Krakoa split a portion of itself off into a 53 square mile set of five islands in the Atlantic Ocean, west of the Canary Islands and south of the Azores, while a 263 square mile main island remained in the Pacific Ocean in the general proximity of the Marshall Islands. Over the next number of months, Krakoa and Cypher bonded, allowing Cypher to finish the interface, which comprised four mutants assigned to different tasks: Sage (Tessa) would use her computer-like brain to track mutants entering and leaving Krakoa; the plant-life-communing Black Tom Cassidy would observe and protect the land; the technopathic Trinary (Shilpa Khatri) would be in charge of secondary and external systems; and the highly intelligent Beast (Henry McCoy) would be responsible for data analysis.

When the mutant nation took residence on Krakoa, Cypher created an autochthonous mutant language, Krakoan not to be confused with Krakoa's native language, which only Cypher (and apparently Warlock) can understand. Resident telepaths imprinted the mutant language into the mind of any newly-arrived mutant, allowing them to read, speak and fully understand the mutant language. The mutant inventor known as Forge built a massive subterranean laboratory where he used Krakoan organic to build biological machines and weaponry. One of the first tenets of this new nation was that Krakoa must be respected as sacred land.

With Krakoa's quidance, the mutant scientist Dr. Nemesis harvested flowers that enabled the new nation to flourish quickly. One bloom for growing gateways provided instant mutant transportation to Krakoa, another bloom produced self-sustaining habitats, which were part of Krakoa's interconnected consciousness, and a third non-naturally occurring flower produced No-Places, habitats outside of Krakoa's consciousness. Moira MacTaggert maintains a private residence and laboratory in one such No-Place under Krakoa, enabling her to help foster the mutant nation while perpetuating the belief that she was dead.

Harvest centers in the prehistoric Savage Land and in a Krakoan habitat on Mars processed three other flowers from the work of Dr. Nemesis. These were used to create the revolutionary drugs L, I and M, which respectively extend human life by five years, prevent diseases of the mind and function as the most effective, adaptive antibiotic the world had ever seen.

When he deemed Krakoa ready, Xavier telepathically addressed the world, offering the life-changing medicines in exchange for Krakoan sovereignty. As the news traveled, the world's mutants flocked to Krakoa through many of the newly opened gates across the globe, swelling the population to nearly 200,000; at some point an exception was made for the human Kyle Jinadu to live on Krakoa with his X-Man husband, Northstar (Jean-Paul Beaubier). After Xavier's address, the United Nations granted Krakoa sovereignty (possibly with some psychic suggestion by mutant telepath Emma Frost) and more than 100 nations accepted the deal, though some nations rejected Krakoa on political and/or ideological reasons. Soon after, Apocalypse arrived on Krakoa, who joyfully recognized him as its savior from millennia before. Hundreds of other mutants who had previously used their gifts for evil joined Apocalypse to accept and submit to Krakoa's laws. The fourteen-member governing body of Krakoa, the Quiet Council, established two tenets of this new nation: Kill no humans and make more mutants.

When a portion of Arakko inexplicably reappeared as a small island it merged with Krakoa, increasing Krakoa's landmass by an unrevealed number of square miles and helping to ease the sadness Krakoa felt from their separation; the portion that reappeared housed the still closed Arak Maw portal to the remainder of Arakko. Shortly after, the environmental group Hordeculture temporarily seized control of a Krakoan gate in the Savage Land by unrevealed means, causing Krakoa incredible discomfort and leading to aggressive wildlife, decreased landmass and headaches for resident telepaths until the X-Men took back the portal. After a tournament between residents of Arakko and Krakoa in the dimension of Otherworld, Arakko and all of its mutant residents were sent back to Earth. However with a massive population of war like mutants, the omega-level mutants of Krakoa decided to terraform the planet Mars and transport Arakko and all of its residents there. While Mars is now the first mutant world, Krakoa continues to serve as the physical nation for mutantkind.

Powers: Krakoa is a living ecosystem, the congregate intelligence of an entire island's flora and fauna linked together in a kind of hive-mind. Although not entirely sentient (the diabolical expositional dialogue it originally spouted was a telepathic ploy by Professor X), it did possess basic reasoning skills, and Krakoa's descendants did demonstrate fully human-like sentience. It could direct the animals on the island to move and attack in unison, cause plant life to become animated, grow at an incredible rate and ensnare its targets, and manipulate the geography of the island. This could be done subtly to rearrange paths and landmarks on the island, or more aggressively like triggering rockslides, seismic tremors, and open fissures in the ground. Krakoa could also create humanoid avatars out of the earth and substance of the island, possessing variable levels of superhuman size, strength and durability. Because the avatars were merely extensions of the island, they could expel large quantities of rock or molten materials channeled up through the ground. Krakoa was also capable of draining mutant bio-energy, siphoning power directly out from the bodies of mutants trapped on the island.

Its largest humanoid form possessed superhuman strength (lifting approximately 100 tons). Krakoa can produce flowers that prolong human life, cure cancer and serve as powerful antibiotics. Other blooms can rapidly grow into self-contained structures, weapons and wormholes that allow mutants to pass through for instant transport. The maximum distance of the portals is unrevealed, but they have been used to travel to the Shi'ar Empire galaxies away and the extradimensional realms of Otherworld and Mojoworld.

Krakoa feeds on mutant energy, requiring consumption of two mutants annually to maintain a stable environment. In the past, Krakoa's feedings would render mutants powerless, and would trap prey using tentacle-like vegetation growth. Now, the population of the mutant nation donates a minimal amount of psychic energy from each citizen to maintain Krakoa's health. Similar mutant energy "vampires" the Black Queen (Selene Gallio) and Emplate (Marius St. Croix) monitor the levels of psychic depletion among the island's population to ensure they do not exceed the minimal psychic draw. Krakoa can block the powers of telepaths trying to communicate with those on the island, and it can survive unaided in space.

The next Krakoa was a second-generation spore from the original island, likely derived from the so-called "Vega-Superior" Son of Krakoa once fought by Nightcrawler. The genetic core of Krakoa was apparently introduced into the land surrounding the Jean Grey School without the X-Men knowing, and Krakoa incorporated itself into the environment. How far Krakoa's influence extends over the landscape is unknown, but he can manifest his mass as a fully mobile humanoid form when necessary. Krakoa can manipulate the landscape to create trees, flowers, rock formations, and other natural features. It can also trigger more disastrous effects like avalanches, earthquakes, and volcanic activity, and create animated humanoid extensions much like the original did.

BELASCO

 

BELASCO

Real Name: Belasco (full name unrevealed)

First Appearance: Ka-Zar The Savage (Vol. 1) #11, February 1982

Powers: A powerful Florentine alchemist and sorcerer, Belasco has various demonic features including red horns upon his forehead, a long, pointer tall, reddish skin, fangs, claws, and pointed ears. Belasco lost his right arm when it was servered, under circumstances yet to be revealed, by his own sword, which was forged by the Elder Gods.

Belasco was granted most of his power by the Elder God he serves. Among other feats, he can hurl bolts of mystical force, mesmerize victims, transform people into animals, and raise the dead under certain circumstances. His long studies of the black arts have given him an encyclopedic knowledge of spells that he can use. The Elder Gods also granted Belasco immortality and apparently invulnerability as well. Possibly the only means of killing him is his own sword, which was forged by the Elder Gods and was used to sever his right arm.

Belasco's powers are somehow linked to those of Magik (Illyana Rasputin). When they fought their climactic battle in Limbo, Magik took on a demonic form while simultaneously Belasco reverted to human form, losing most of his power and his invulnerability in the process. It is not known whether Belasco would lose his demonic form and powers whenever Magik takes on her demonic form. Belasco carries a sword forged by the Elder Gods which is capable of harming Belasco himself.

Belasco has considerable knowledge of much of the technology that the pre-cataclysmic Atlanteans found in Pangea.

Belasco was formerly master of the demonic dimension called Limbo. Time does not pass in a physical sense in Belasco's Limbo, and Magik aged seven years while she was there. However, one might spend years in Belasco's Limbo while no more than moments pass on Earth, due to the unknown temporal laws of the former place. The matter within Belasco's Limbo can be shaped and transformed by the thoughts and emotions of the sorcerer who is its master. Belasco's Limbo is populated by demons who serve its master.

DOUGHBOY

 

DOUGHBOY

Real Name: n/a

First Appearance: Captain America (Vol. 1) #209, May 1977

Powers: Doughboy is a genetically engineered bio form created by Arnim Zola. He is a non-humanoid bio-form who normally assumes an enormous pie-shaped form with a face consisting of eyes, a mouth, and sometimes a nose, long rubbery arms with only two fingers each, and stalk-like legs with two toes each: His body resembles dough both in appearance and in consistency.

Aside from the above listed attributes, Doughboy possesses an extremely malleable body, enabling him to alter his shape at will. He can alter the color and even the hardness of his body, and once even effectively duplicated the appearance of an Avengers Quinjet.

He can stretch, deform, expand, compress, and flatten all or part of his body at will. Within certain limits, he can use his body to enclose and muffle an explosion and absorb the impact of bullets or other projectiles without harm to himself. His body is highly adhesive and is as viscous as tar. Hence, his body can trap and absorb persons or objects as if it were made of quicksand.

Although Doughboy can be injured, his wounds close immediately without bleeding. Doughboy can shed excess body mass at will and apparently can add to his body mass by absorption of organic matter. Thor once battered Doughboy to pieces, but it is believed that he was able to reform himself.

He has self-levitation for flight. Doughboy has low intelligence and virtually no will of his own. Hence, while he can understand and follow his masters commands he has no creative intelligence. He is apparently incapable of speech.

ARABIAN KNIGHT

 

 

ARABIAN KNIGHT

Real Name: Abdul Qamar

First Appearance: The Incredible Hulk (Vol. 1) #250, August 1980

Powers: Seeking shelter in an underground tomb in the eastern Egyptian desert, Abdul Qamar discovered a magic scimitar and flying carpet which belonged to a 13th century ancestor who had been a champion to his people. Qamar decided to carry on his ancestor's tradition by battling evil as the Arabian Knight.

Possessing no superhuman powers of his own, the Arabian Knight derives power from three magical weapons: A magic carpet, golden scimitar and belt-sash.The Arabian Knight wielded a "magic carpet" that responded solely to his mental commands. The carpet could levitate off the ground and propel itself through the air at any speed that the Knight commanded. The Arabian Knight seldom had it fly beyond the speed at which he could breathe, approximately 90 miles per hour. The carpet could levitate to any height the Knight commanded it, although he hadn't attempted to fly higher than 20,000 feet, the point at which the atmosphere became too thin to breathe. Besides its use as transportation, the carpet could be commanded to perform such feats as wrapping around an object or person, or rolling itself into a cylinder and striking like a whip or battering ram. The carpet, empowered by unknown magical forces, was virtually impervious to harm. 

 

The Arabian Knight also wielded a golden magic scimitar, which was capable of emitting beams of concussive magical force. The maximum amount of concussive force the sword could emit at one time was not known, nor how long (if at all) it took the sword to "recharge" in between discharges. The Arabian Knight could mentally control the amount of force the sword emits. The sword possessed an enchantment that caused it to discharge magical energy against anyone other than the Knight who touched it. The Knight could also use the scimitar for scimitar and stabbing. It could cut through steel, stone and other hard materials. The scimitar also seems to possess certain anti-magic properties, causing massive damage to magical beings.

 

The belt-sash at the Arabian Knight's waist could also be animated by mental command to serve as bonds, lariat, whip or climbing rope. It was made of the same substance as the flying carpet and was similarly indestructible. It could magically extend in length to almost ten times its ordinary 8 inch by 4 foot size. The sash seemed to possess anti-magic capabilities such as, for example, exorcising demon-possessed people by wrapping around them.