Morbius, the Living Vampire
Encyclopedia
Morbius, the Living Vampire, is a fictional character
appearing in comic book
s published by Marvel Comics
. Created by writer Roy Thomas
and penciler Gil Kane
, the character, a living human suffering from vampiric
abilities resulting from scientific rather than supernatural
means, first appeared as an antagonist
in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (Oct. 1971), and went on to become a heroic, tragically flawed protagonist
in his own series and other titles.
board, the Comics Code Authority
, lifting its ban on vampires and certain other supernatural characters in February 1971, and not as a challenge to the code, as many believe. Writer Roy Thomas
and penciler Gil Kane
created the character as a living man who is given vampiric
abilities via scientific rather than supernatural means. Kane was instructed to specifically avoid Gothic fashion
elements and design a costume for Morbius that was akin to those of superhero
es or supervillain
s, and he specifically chose the red and blue primary colors that were the staple of characters like Spider-Man
and Superman
.
Morbius debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man
#101 (Oct. 1971), the first issue of Marvel Comics
' flagship Spider-Man
series written by someone other than character co-creator and editor-in-chief Stan Lee
. Lee, busy writing a screenplay for an unproduced science fiction
movie, bequeathed the series to his right-hand editor, Thomas. "We were talking about doing Dracula
, but Stan wanted a costumed villain. Other than that, he didn't specify what we should do", Thomas said in 2009, adding that part of the character conception came from an unspecified science-fiction film of Thomas' youth, depicting a man turned into a vampire by radiation
rather than magic. Thomas said the name "Morbius" was not deliberately taken from the antagonist Dr. Morbius in the movie Forbidden Planet
.
A tragic and sympathetic antagonist in his initial two-issue arc, having acquired his vampiric addiction while researching a cure for his own rare, fatal blood disease, Morbius collided again with Spider-Man and others in Marvel Team-Up
#3-4 (July & Sept. 1972). Morbius went on to star in in Vampire Tales
, a black-and-white horror-comics magazine published by Marvel's sister company, Curtis Magazines
, appearing in all but two of the mature-audience title's 11 issues (Aug. 1973 - June 1975). All but the first and last of these were written by Don McGregor
, with penciling by Rich Buckler
and by Tom Sutton
, primarily. After his first two Vampire Tales stories, Morbius concurrently became the star of his own feature in Marvel's bimonthly Adventure into Fear
anthology series, beginning with issue #20 (Feb. 1974) and continuing through #31 (Dec. 1975), the final issue of that title. These were written, successively, by Mike Friedrich
, Steve Gerber
(who wrote the first Morbius solo story, in Vampire Tales), Doug Moench
, and Bill Mantlo
, working with a wide variety of pencilers. Morbius segued. During this period, Morbius again appeared as an antagonist in the Spider-Man one-shot, Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1 (June 1974)
Following sporadic guest appearances throughout the next 16 years, Morbius was revived in the 1992 series Morbius the Living Vampire, launched as part of the "Rise of the Midnight Sons" crossover
story arc in Marvel supernatural/horror comics. It ran 32 issues (Sept. 1992 - April 1995). These later stories add to his repertoire of powers the ability to hypnotize
others, and describe his ability to fly as psionic
in nature. A one-shot special tentatively titled Spider-Man/Venom/Morbius by Morbius writer Len Kaminski was scheduled for 1993, but never saw print due to editorial conflicts that eventually led to the writer's departure from the series. A reprint series, Morbius Revisited, was published from 1992 to 1993, featuring material originally in Adventure into Fear #27-31. Solo stories starring Morbius also appeared in Marvel Comics Presents
#144 (Late Dec. 1993), several issues of the Midnight Sons Unlimited series (1993–1995), the one-shot Strange Tales
: Dark Corners #1 (May 1998), Amazing Fantasy
, vol. 2, #17 (March 2006), and the one-shot Legion of Monsters: Morbius (Sept. 2007)
in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man. He would return to battle Spider-Man over the years in the pages of Marvel Team-Up
Vol.1 #3-4; Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man
#6-8 and #38; Morbius the Living Vampire #3-4 and #21-23; and later in Peter Parker, Spider-Man Vol.1 #77-80 and Vol.2 #8.
Spider-Man and Morbius formed an uneasy alliance
during the Maximum Carnage
crossover series.
Blade
the Vampire Hunter and Morbius have had an on-going feud which began in Adventure into Fear #24. The two also clashed in Marvel Preview #8, Blade the Vampire Hunter #8, Blade Vol.1 #2-3, and Blade Vol.4 #5. Blade, while possessed by a demonic presence, killed Morbius in Morbius the Living Vampire #12, but Morbius was resurrected in Spirits of Vengeance #13.
Simon Stroud, a rogue CIA agent first introduced in the pages of Creatures on the Loose, has been hunting Morbius since Adventure into Fear
#27. Stroud and Morbius last clashed in Morbius the Living Vampire #23.
During the run of Morbius the Living Vampire, Morbius crossed paths with a handful of brand new foes. They included: Vic Slaughter (introduced in issue #7), the Basilisk (Wayne Gifford) (introduced in issue #5), Dr. Paine (introduced in issue #4), and Bloodthirst (first seen in issue #20). During this same period, Morbius also battled a new villain called Bloodbath in Midnight Sons Unlimited #2.
Morbius has had a friendship with Jack Russell (Werewolf by Night
) since West Coast Avengers
#5, where Morbius helped Russell deal with his werewolf curse. Werewolf by Night was a frequent guest-star in the pages of Morbius the Living Vampire. Together with Man-Thing
and Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
, they formed the short-lived Legion of Monsters.
Morbius and Doctor Strange
have teamed-up on several occasions. Morbius appeared sporadically throughout the run of Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme, beginning with issue #10. Dr. Strange recruited Morbius as one of "the Nine" a.k.a. the Midnight Sons
, a team with only one purpose: Earth's last defense against the occult.
and defeated when Spider-Man
and the Lizard joined forces. A flashback
reveals that Morbius was actually a Nobel Prize
-winning biochemist
, who had attempted to cure himself of a rare blood disease with an experimental treatment involving vampire bat
s and electroshock therapy
. However, he instead became afflicted with a far worse condition that mimicked the powers and blood-thirst of legendary vampirism
. Morbius now had to digest blood in order to survive and had a strong aversion to light. He gained the ability to fly, as well as superhuman strength
, speed, and healing abilities. His appearance became hideous—his canine teeth extended into fangs, his nose flattened to appear more like a bat's, and his skin became chalk-white. He also gained the ability to turn others into similar "living vampires" by biting them. He later sought a cure for his condition, but battled Spider-Man, the Human Torch
, and the original X-Men
. He caused John Jameson
to again become Man-Wolf. Alongside Man-Wolf, he battled Spider-Man again.
Morbius later rescued Amanda Saint from the Demon-Fire Cult, and aided her in her quest for her missing parents. He battled Reverend Daemond, and encountered the Caretakers of Arcturus IV. He visited the Land Within, home of the Cat People
, and the planet Arcturus IV. He also first encountered Blade
. He then first encountered Simon Stroud, and battled the Helleyes. Alongside the "Legion of Monsters," he then encountered the Starseed. Morbius then battled the Thing
, encountered the Living Eraser, and traveled to Dimension Z. He later returned to Earth, and battled Spider-Man again.
He once again fought Spider-Man, but then he was hit by a lightning strike, which cured him of his pseudo-vampirism (while retaining a thirst for blood). He eventually resumed his pseudo-vampire state, and first met Doctor Strange
. Alongside Doctor Strange and Brother Voodoo
, he battled Marie Leveau, and witnessed the resurgence of true vampires. Morbius later battled Spider-Man in the New York sewers.
Ghost Rider and John Blaze
search for Morbius to form the Nine and stop Lilith
and the Lilin from taking over the world. When they found Morbius, the vampire believed they would kill him but Ghost Rider and John Blaze successfully captured him. Dr. Langford, who tried to help Morbius' wounds, was actually trying to kill him and was working for Dr. Paine. He made an unknown mutagenic serum that would prove fatal to Morbius. Unknown to Dr. Langford, Fang, one of Lilith's children was also trying to kill Morbius by adding his own demonic blood to the serum, which would also be fatal to Morbius. When Dr. Langford injected the serum to Morbius, it did not kill him, but instead mutated him. Morbius' friend, Jacob was trying to look inside of him and see what he could do about Morbius' condition. After Martine, Morbius' wife, found out Langford was trying to kill him, Langford shot her and she bled to death. Morbius found this out and was enraged to find his wife dead. He later avenged the death of Martine Bancroft by killing Langford and took the beaker which contained the serum. Ghost Rider and John Blaze later found out Morbius' destruction. Ghost Rider confronted him and would not tolerate Morbius drinking any more innocent blood. Morbius then vowed he would only drink the blood of the guilty. Ghost Rider accepted the vow, but warned him not to stray from it. Morbius soon became part of the Midnight Sons.
Later, a new faction of Vampires led by Hunger, the next evolution of the supervillain Crown
, tried to destroy Morbius because he had been genetically manipulated to be the perfect weapon. The chest in which he was to be delivered was intercepted by the Kingpin
, Blade
, and Spider-Man
, and he attacked all three. Whatever unknown party manipulated him failed; he collapsed after one battle, possibly dying. With his last breath he warned Spider-Man to beware of his employer, Stuart Ward
.
It was later revealed that Morbius had signed the Superhuman Registration Act
and was cooperating with S.H.I.E.L.D.
in an effort to capture Blade. He had also presumably survived his genetic manipulation, as Blade was able to distinguish him as the same Morbius who 'Took a Bite out of [him]' in their previous encounter.
Morbius is next seen as a member of A.R.M.O.R. held captive by the Morbius from the Marvel Zombies
universe. He survives the invasion, and escapes. He forms a new Midnight Sons
with Jennifer Kale
, Daimon Hellstrom
, and Jack Russell
.
Morbius later helps Man-Thing into reassembling a decapitated Punisher into a Frankenstein-like monster called FrankenCastle.
During The Gauntlet storyline, Morbius was behind the theft of a vial of Spider-Man's blood. Spider-Man learns that Morbius is planning to use the blood samples to create a cure for Jack Russell. Spider-Man agrees to help Morbius by giving him more blood.
During the Origin of the Species storyline, Morbius is among the supervillains recruited by Doctor Octopus
to secure some item for him.
During the events of "Spider-Island
" it is revealed to the reader that Morbius is the mysterious Number Six working at Horizon Labs. He assisted, in a hazmat suit
to protect his identity, in preparing the cure to the spider-powers virus.
, holy water
, crucifix
, or silver
. He has a strong aversion to sunlight, thanks to his photo-sensitive skin which prevents any protection from major sun burn, in contrast to "true" vampires that are incinerated by it. Morbius also lacks the shapeshifting and weather control powers of vampires, and the ability to control animals. Like "true" vampires, Morbius does possess the ability to hypnotize beings of lesser willpower and bring them under his control, which can only be resisted by those possessing an extremely strong will. He also has the ability to "morph" his body to fit through small spaces, like a mouse.
Morbius possesses an accelerated healing factor
and can recover from mild to moderate injuries at a rate beyond that of ordinary humans. While not nearly as efficient as the healing powers possessed by Wolverine
, Morbius has proven able to heal from multiple gunshot wounds in less than an hour. More severe injuries, such as broken bones or severe burns, might take several days to heal, but once was shown to take minutes even though it left him as a near-mindless creature who must feed to replenish the energy that was used to do so. He is unable to regenerate
missing limbs or organs.
Most of Morbius' victims die or are severely injured by his bite. Unlike supernatural vampires, Morbius' victims do not necessarily become vampires themselves. There have only been four instances where Morbius' bite has turned other individuals into vampires: Jefferson Bolt (a young man first seen in Marvel Team-Up
#3), Emilio (a young man first shown in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #7), Vic Slaughter (a bounty hunter who first appeared in Morbius the Living Vampire #7) and Blade the vampire hunter
in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #8. The causes behind these transformations have never been clearly explained (although in Blade's case, Morbius's bite combined with his unique physiology to turn him into a part-vampire with all the strengths of a traditional vampire and none of the weaknesses).
One interesting fact concerns the blood of Spider-Man. Apparently, the irradiated blood of the wall-crawler has a kind of reverse-effect on Morbius, causing his vampirism to go into remission. As a result, after drinking Spider-Man's blood, Morbius does not need to feed again for some time. Morbius once developed a serum based on Spider-Man's blood which would stave off his vampirism for short periods of time.
Morbius possesses the ability of transvection
, navigating wind currents and gliding for various distances. In Morbius the Living Vampire #2, it was alluded to that this ability may be related to hyper-evolved portions of his brain caused by a combination of his blood disease and vampiric condition.
While briefly infected by the demon Bloodthirst, Morbius gained the ability to liquidize his body, moving through small spaces and stretching his limbs as needed. He lost these abilities when he and Bloodthirst split.
Michael Morbius possesses a gifted intellect, and is an expert biochemist and neuroradiologist with a Ph.D. in biochemistry.
his powers.
. The real Morbius of Earth-616
(mainstream universe) is kidnapped and beaten by his zombie counterpart who found a way from the Marvel Zombies
universe into the Marvel universe. Zombie Morbius holds the normal one captive while using a latex mask to look normal. It is revealed that he plans to infect every member of the Fifty State Initiative
with the zombie virus. His captivity is later inadvertently uncovered by an A.R.M.O.R. team member whom Morbius tries to warn of an impending attack. The warning comes too late as Morbius' counterpart attacks the team member and infects her, thus creating a violent chain of events after she attacks another team member. Towards the end of the crisis the real Morbius appears out of nowhere and grabs a tree, which he uses as a stake and stabs the zombiefied version from behind and straight into the heart, killing him instantly.
"Ultimate
" Morbius first appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man
#95. Unlike the original character from which he was derived, Ultimate Morbius is a "true" vampire, the son of Dracul
, and brother of Vlad III Dracula
himself (who was, in Ultimate Marvel continuity, the same as the historic ruler of our world, rather than a vampire), with all of the powers and abilities associated with the usual interpretation of Dracula
. This Morbius, however, seems to be heroically struggling against his baser instincts, and is in fact a vampire hunter
. He meets Spider-Man
in a typical misunderstanding, centering around a cabal of vampires attacking Ben Urich. He is really trying to stop Urich from becoming a vampire, which he succeeds in doing despite the conflict. When Spider-Man is bitten by a vampire, Morbius sniffs him and determines that he is immune to vampirism.
and was attacked and murdered by him. Dracula fed off of her blood and, in doing so, converted her. Having been secretly converting him at night, Martine attempts to persuade Morbius to join the brotherhood of vampires by feeding on a human being she has captured (Mary Jane Parker) but Morbius refuses. Spider-Man interrupts the two, but is knocked unconscious by Martine in a brief struggle. Martine demands Morbius feast on Spider-Man's blood, but when he again refuses, she threatens the life of MJ. Morbius again proves defiant and saves MJ, but in the process Martine loses her balance and plummets from the roof, with Morbius diving after her. Spider-Man recovers, but can only use his webbing to save one of them. He successfully snags Morbius, but Martine falls to her death. Morbius forgives Spider-Man and mourns his lost love.
Morbius appeared in Spider-Man: The Animated Series
voiced by Nick Jameson
. Morbius first appeared in his human form in "The Insidious Six" (Season #2, episode 1) and the episode that followed his debut, Battle of the Insidious Six. In these episodes, Morbius has a romance with Felicia Hardy (the Black Cat in the future). In the episode entitled "Morbius", he stole a vial of Peter Parker's blood in the belief this was part of Parker's entry in a science competition they were both competing in. While examining the blood in his laboratory, one of the vampire bats he was experimenting on escaped, and began to lap it up. When Morbius tried to scare the bat away, it bit him. The bite infected him with Parker's irradiated blood, transforming him into a living vampire.
He appeared as a villain in the following four episodes: Enter the Punisher, Duel of the Hunters, Blade the Vampire Hunter, and The Immortal Vampire. At the end of The Immortal Vampire Felicia manages to appeal to Morbius' humanity and Morbius redeems himself at the end of this episode. Later Morbius appears in the episodes "The Awakening" and "The Vampire Queen" in Season #4. At the end of "The Vampire Queen", Morbius joins forces with vampire hunter Blade and Black Cat
to stop Blade's evil mother, Mirium. Morbius made a cameo at the beginning and end of the second episode of the animated version of "Secret Wars
," along with Blade, who were not only concerned about stopping Mirium but curious where Black Cat went (she was transported from Earth to the Secret Wars planet to fight alongside Spider-Man). That was the last appearance of Morbius in the show. Fundamental changes were enforced upon his depiction by Fox
, who imposed a heavy level of censorship on the series. These changes include being unable to bite anyone, despite having fangs and clearly being a vampire. Instead he was rendered with suckers on his palms to drain his victims, similar to another "Living Vampire" from the Marvel Universe, Bloodscream
. The word 'blood' was not allowed to be used in any capacity, and was replaced with 'plasma
'.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
appearing in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. Created by writer Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
and penciler Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
, the character, a living human suffering from vampiric
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
abilities resulting from scientific rather than supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
means, first appeared as an antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in The Amazing Spider-Man #101 (Oct. 1971), and went on to become a heroic, tragically flawed protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
in his own series and other titles.
Publication history
Dr. Michael Morbius was created in response to the comic-book industry's self-censorshipCensorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
board, the Comics Code Authority
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority was a body created as part of the Comics Magazine Association of America, as a tool for the comics-publishing industry to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submitted comic books to the CCA, which screened them for adherence to...
, lifting its ban on vampires and certain other supernatural characters in February 1971, and not as a challenge to the code, as many believe. Writer Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
and penciler Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
created the character as a living man who is given vampiric
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
abilities via scientific rather than supernatural means. Kane was instructed to specifically avoid Gothic fashion
Gothic fashion
Gothic fashion is a clothing style worn by members of the Goth subculture; a dark, sometimes morbid, eroticized fashion and style of dress. Typical Gothic fashion includes dyed black hair, black lips and black clothes. Both male and female goths wear dark eyeliner and dark fingernails. Styles are...
elements and design a costume for Morbius that was akin to those of superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es or supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s, and he specifically chose the red and blue primary colors that were the staple of characters like Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
Morbius debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#101 (Oct. 1971), the first issue of Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' flagship Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
series written by someone other than character co-creator and editor-in-chief Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
. Lee, busy writing a screenplay for an unproduced science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
movie, bequeathed the series to his right-hand editor, Thomas. "We were talking about doing Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
, but Stan wanted a costumed villain. Other than that, he didn't specify what we should do", Thomas said in 2009, adding that part of the character conception came from an unspecified science-fiction film of Thomas' youth, depicting a man turned into a vampire by radiation
Radiation
In physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
rather than magic. Thomas said the name "Morbius" was not deliberately taken from the antagonist Dr. Morbius in the movie Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, with a screenplay by Cyril Hume. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis. The characters and its setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot contains certain...
.
A tragic and sympathetic antagonist in his initial two-issue arc, having acquired his vampiric addiction while researching a cure for his own rare, fatal blood disease, Morbius collided again with Spider-Man and others in Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
#3-4 (July & Sept. 1972). Morbius went on to star in in Vampire Tales
Vampire Tales
Vampire Tales was a black-and-white horror-comics magazine series published by Curtis Magazines in the 1970s, featuring vampires as both protagonists and antagonists....
, a black-and-white horror-comics magazine published by Marvel's sister company, Curtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines
Curtis Magazines was an imprint of Marvel Comics that existed from 1971 to 1980. The imprint published black-and-white magazines that did not carry the Comics Code Authority seal. Initially, page counts varied between 68,76, and 84 pages....
, appearing in all but two of the mature-audience title's 11 issues (Aug. 1973 - June 1975). All but the first and last of these were written by Don McGregor
Don McGregor
Donald Francis McGregor is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics, and the author of one of the first graphic novels.-Early life and career:...
, with penciling by Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25...
and by Tom Sutton
Tom Sutton
Tom Sutton was an American comic book artist who sometimes used the pseudonyms Sean Todd and Dementia...
, primarily. After his first two Vampire Tales stories, Morbius concurrently became the star of his own feature in Marvel's bimonthly Adventure into Fear
Adventure into Fear
Adventure into Fear is an American horror comic book series published by Marvel Comics from cover dates November 1970 through December 1975, for 31 issues...
anthology series, beginning with issue #20 (Feb. 1974) and continuing through #31 (Dec. 1975), the final issue of that title. These were written, successively, by Mike Friedrich
Mike Friedrich
Mike Friedrich is an American comic book writer and publisher best known for his work at Marvel and DC Comics, and for publishing the anthology series Star*Reach, one of the first independent comics...
, Steve Gerber
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross "Steve" Gerber was an American comic book writer best known as co-creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck....
(who wrote the first Morbius solo story, in Vampire Tales), Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
, and Bill Mantlo
Bill Mantlo
Bill Mantlo is an American comic-book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics, best known for his work on two licensed toy properties whose adventures occurred in the Marvel Universe: the Eagle Award-winning Micronauts and the long-running Rom. An attorney, he also worked as a public defender...
, working with a wide variety of pencilers. Morbius segued. During this period, Morbius again appeared as an antagonist in the Spider-Man one-shot, Giant-Size Super-Heroes #1 (June 1974)
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
story arc in Marvel supernatural/horror comics. It ran 32 issues (Sept. 1992 - April 1995). These later stories add to his repertoire of powers the ability to hypnotize
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
others, and describe his ability to fly as psionic
Psionics
Psionics refers to the practice, study, or psychic ability of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. Examples of this include telepathy, telekinesis, and other workings of the outside world through the psyche.-History and terminology:...
in nature. A one-shot special tentatively titled Spider-Man/Venom/Morbius by Morbius writer Len Kaminski was scheduled for 1993, but never saw print due to editorial conflicts that eventually led to the writer's departure from the series. A reprint series, Morbius Revisited, was published from 1992 to 1993, featuring material originally in Adventure into Fear #27-31. Solo stories starring Morbius also appeared in Marvel Comics Presents
Marvel Comics Presents
Marvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...
#144 (Late Dec. 1993), several issues of the Midnight Sons Unlimited series (1993–1995), the one-shot Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
: Dark Corners #1 (May 1998), Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man in 1962...
, vol. 2, #17 (March 2006), and the one-shot Legion of Monsters: Morbius (Sept. 2007)
Enemies and allies
Morbius was first introduced as a villainVillain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man. He would return to battle Spider-Man over the years in the pages of Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
Vol.1 #3-4; Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man is the name of several comic books and one magazine series starring Marvel Comics' Spider-Man.The character's main series, The Amazing Spider-Man, was extremely successful, and Marvel felt the character could support more than one title. This led the company in 1968 to...
#6-8 and #38; Morbius the Living Vampire #3-4 and #21-23; and later in Peter Parker, Spider-Man Vol.1 #77-80 and Vol.2 #8.
Spider-Man and Morbius formed an uneasy alliance
Alliance
An alliance is an agreement or friendship between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests.See also military alliance and business alliance.-International relations:...
during the Maximum Carnage
Maximum Carnage
"Maximum Carnage" is a fourteen-part comic book crossover published in Marvel Comics's Spider-Man family of titles in 1993. It featured Spider-Man and Venom teaming up to face Venom's murderous offspring Carnage.-Plot:...
crossover series.
Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
the Vampire Hunter and Morbius have had an on-going feud which began in Adventure into Fear #24. The two also clashed in Marvel Preview #8, Blade the Vampire Hunter #8, Blade Vol.1 #2-3, and Blade Vol.4 #5. Blade, while possessed by a demonic presence, killed Morbius in Morbius the Living Vampire #12, but Morbius was resurrected in Spirits of Vengeance #13.
Simon Stroud, a rogue CIA agent first introduced in the pages of Creatures on the Loose, has been hunting Morbius since Adventure into Fear
Adventure into Fear
Adventure into Fear is an American horror comic book series published by Marvel Comics from cover dates November 1970 through December 1975, for 31 issues...
#27. Stroud and Morbius last clashed in Morbius the Living Vampire #23.
During the run of Morbius the Living Vampire, Morbius crossed paths with a handful of brand new foes. They included: Vic Slaughter (introduced in issue #7), the Basilisk (Wayne Gifford) (introduced in issue #5), Dr. Paine (introduced in issue #4), and Bloodthirst (first seen in issue #20). During this same period, Morbius also battled a new villain called Bloodbath in Midnight Sons Unlimited #2.
Morbius has had a friendship with Jack Russell (Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
) since West Coast Avengers
West Coast Avengers
The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The team first appear in The West Coast Avengers #1 and was created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall.- Publication history :...
#5, where Morbius helped Russell deal with his werewolf curse. Werewolf by Night was a frequent guest-star in the pages of Morbius the Living Vampire. Together with Man-Thing
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
and Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
, they formed the short-lived Legion of Monsters.
Morbius and Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
have teamed-up on several occasions. Morbius appeared sporadically throughout the run of Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme, beginning with issue #10. Dr. Strange recruited Morbius as one of "the Nine" a.k.a. the Midnight Sons
Midnight Sons
The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional...
, a team with only one purpose: Earth's last defense against the occult.
Fictional character biography
Michael Morbius was born in Greece. He was attacked by the LizardLizard (comics)
The Lizard is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and enemy of Spider-Man. The Lizard first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #6 , and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko...
and defeated when Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
and the Lizard joined forces. A flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
reveals that Morbius was actually a Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
-winning biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
, who had attempted to cure himself of a rare blood disease with an experimental treatment involving vampire bat
Vampire bat
Vampire bats are bats whose food source is blood, a dietary trait called hematophagy. There are three bat species that feed solely on blood: the Common Vampire Bat , the Hairy-legged Vampire Bat , and the White-winged Vampire Bat .All three species are native to the Americas, ranging from Mexico to...
s and electroshock therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy , formerly known as electroshock, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in anesthetized patients for therapeutic effect. Its mode of action is unknown...
. However, he instead became afflicted with a far worse condition that mimicked the powers and blood-thirst of legendary vampirism
Vampire (Marvel Comics)
Vampires are fictional characters found in the Marvel Universe.-History:They were created roughly 15,000 years ago when a small band of sorcerers from the legendary city of Atlantis discovered a book known as the Darkhold, an indestructible text filled with arcane lore and dark magic written...
. Morbius now had to digest blood in order to survive and had a strong aversion to light. He gained the ability to fly, as well as superhuman strength
Superhuman strength
Superhuman strength, also called superstrength, super-strength, or super strength, is an ability commonly employed in fiction. It is the ability for a character to be stronger than humanly possible...
, speed, and healing abilities. His appearance became hideous—his canine teeth extended into fangs, his nose flattened to appear more like a bat's, and his skin became chalk-white. He also gained the ability to turn others into similar "living vampires" by biting them. He later sought a cure for his condition, but battled Spider-Man, the Human Torch
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...
, and the original X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
. He caused John Jameson
John Jameson (comics)
John Jameson is a fictional character in publications from Marvel Comics.-Publication history:...
to again become Man-Wolf. Alongside Man-Wolf, he battled Spider-Man again.
Morbius later rescued Amanda Saint from the Demon-Fire Cult, and aided her in her quest for her missing parents. He battled Reverend Daemond, and encountered the Caretakers of Arcturus IV. He visited the Land Within, home of the Cat People
Cat People (comics)
The Cat People are a fictional species of humanoids in Marvel Comics' universe.-Publication history:Dr. Joanne Tumulo, later revealed to be a member of the Cat People race, first appeared in Claws of the Cat #1-4 , and was created by Linda Fite and Roy Thomas , and Marie Severin .The Cat People...
, and the planet Arcturus IV. He also first encountered Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
. He then first encountered Simon Stroud, and battled the Helleyes. Alongside the "Legion of Monsters," he then encountered the Starseed. Morbius then battled the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, encountered the Living Eraser, and traveled to Dimension Z. He later returned to Earth, and battled Spider-Man again.
He once again fought Spider-Man, but then he was hit by a lightning strike, which cured him of his pseudo-vampirism (while retaining a thirst for blood). He eventually resumed his pseudo-vampire state, and first met Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
. Alongside Doctor Strange and Brother Voodoo
Brother Voodoo
Brother Voodoo is a fictional character, a supernatural superhero in the Marvel Universe. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Gene Colan, he first appears in Strange Tales #169...
, he battled Marie Leveau, and witnessed the resurgence of true vampires. Morbius later battled Spider-Man in the New York sewers.
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
search for Morbius to form the Nine and stop Lilith
Lilith (Marvel Comics)
Lilith is the name of two fictional American comic book characters owned by Marvel Comics. Both characters exist in the Marvel Universe.The first of these two to appear was Lilith, the daughter of Dracula. Like her father, she is also a vampire, although her powers and weaknesses differ from most...
and the Lilin from taking over the world. When they found Morbius, the vampire believed they would kill him but Ghost Rider and John Blaze successfully captured him. Dr. Langford, who tried to help Morbius' wounds, was actually trying to kill him and was working for Dr. Paine. He made an unknown mutagenic serum that would prove fatal to Morbius. Unknown to Dr. Langford, Fang, one of Lilith's children was also trying to kill Morbius by adding his own demonic blood to the serum, which would also be fatal to Morbius. When Dr. Langford injected the serum to Morbius, it did not kill him, but instead mutated him. Morbius' friend, Jacob was trying to look inside of him and see what he could do about Morbius' condition. After Martine, Morbius' wife, found out Langford was trying to kill him, Langford shot her and she bled to death. Morbius found this out and was enraged to find his wife dead. He later avenged the death of Martine Bancroft by killing Langford and took the beaker which contained the serum. Ghost Rider and John Blaze later found out Morbius' destruction. Ghost Rider confronted him and would not tolerate Morbius drinking any more innocent blood. Morbius then vowed he would only drink the blood of the guilty. Ghost Rider accepted the vow, but warned him not to stray from it. Morbius soon became part of the Midnight Sons.
Later, a new faction of Vampires led by Hunger, the next evolution of the supervillain Crown
Crown (comics)
In the fictional Marvel Universe, The Crown is an affiliate of the Allies of Hydra, Dr. Andrea Janson, and Fortunato, also an enemy of Spider-Man, Hammerhead, S.H.O.C., and Morbius, the Living Vampire.-Origin:...
, tried to destroy Morbius because he had been genetically manipulated to be the perfect weapon. The chest in which he was to be delivered was intercepted by the Kingpin
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
, Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
, and Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, and he attacked all three. Whatever unknown party manipulated him failed; he collapsed after one battle, possibly dying. With his last breath he warned Spider-Man to beware of his employer, Stuart Ward
Senator Ward
Steward Ward first appears as a Senator in Peter Parker: Spider-Man Vol. 2 #4, with frequent appearances in this and the concurrent Amazing Spider-Man title throughout Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 #24...
.
It was later revealed that Morbius had signed the Superhuman Registration Act
Registration Acts (comics)
The Registration Acts—the Mutant Registration Act and Superhuman Registration Act —are fictional legislative bills that have been plot points used in various comic books published by Marvel Comics which, when passed into law, enforce the mandatory registration of superpowered individuals with...
and was cooperating with S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
in an effort to capture Blade. He had also presumably survived his genetic manipulation, as Blade was able to distinguish him as the same Morbius who 'Took a Bite out of [him]' in their previous encounter.
Morbius is next seen as a member of A.R.M.O.R. held captive by the Morbius from the Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
universe. He survives the invasion, and escapes. He forms a new Midnight Sons
Midnight Sons
The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional...
with Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale is a fictional character, a sorceress in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Jennifer Kale was created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, and debuted in Adventure into Fear #11 . She is the cousin of Ghost Riders Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, and a founding member of the...
, Daimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom
Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:He first appeared in Ghost Rider Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan and Hellstorm, is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics...
, and Jack Russell
Werewolf by Night
Werewolf by Night is a fictional character, an antiheroic werewolf in the Marvel Comics universe. The Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight vol...
.
Morbius later helps Man-Thing into reassembling a decapitated Punisher into a Frankenstein-like monster called FrankenCastle.
During The Gauntlet storyline, Morbius was behind the theft of a vial of Spider-Man's blood. Spider-Man learns that Morbius is planning to use the blood samples to create a cure for Jack Russell. Spider-Man agrees to help Morbius by giving him more blood.
During the Origin of the Species storyline, Morbius is among the supervillains recruited by Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1963. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man's greatest foes...
to secure some item for him.
During the events of "Spider-Island
Spider-Island
"Spider-Island" is a comic book storyline starting in The Amazing Spider-Man and crossing over into other comic books published by Marvel Comics in 2011.-Infested:...
" it is revealed to the reader that Morbius is the mysterious Number Six working at Horizon Labs. He assisted, in a hazmat suit
Hazmat suit
A hazmat suit is a garment worn as protection from hazardous materials or substances. A hazmat suit is generally combined with breathing apparatus for protection and may be used by firefighters, emergency personnel responding to toxic spills, researchers, specialists cleaning up contaminated...
to protect his identity, in preparing the cure to the spider-powers virus.
Powers and abilities
Michael Morbius experienced a transformation by electrical shock treatment and chemical ingestion into a pseudo-vampire. As a pseudo-vampire, Morbius does not possess all the powers of an actual vampire, nor is he subject to all the traditional limitations and weaknesses thereof. He possesses a variety of superhuman powers, some of which are similar to supernatural vampires within the Marvel Universe. Due to his vampire-like condition, Morbius is forced to ingest fresh blood on a regular basis to sustain his life and vitality. How much blood he requires and how often he must feed has not been specified in the comics. However, Morbius does not possess any of the mystical vulnerabilities that supernatural vampires are subject to, such as garlicGarlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
, holy water
Holy water
Holy water is water that, in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches, has been sanctified by a priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects; or as a means of repelling evil.The use for baptism and...
, crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
, or silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
. He has a strong aversion to sunlight, thanks to his photo-sensitive skin which prevents any protection from major sun burn, in contrast to "true" vampires that are incinerated by it. Morbius also lacks the shapeshifting and weather control powers of vampires, and the ability to control animals. Like "true" vampires, Morbius does possess the ability to hypnotize beings of lesser willpower and bring them under his control, which can only be resisted by those possessing an extremely strong will. He also has the ability to "morph" his body to fit through small spaces, like a mouse.
Morbius possesses an accelerated healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
and can recover from mild to moderate injuries at a rate beyond that of ordinary humans. While not nearly as efficient as the healing powers possessed by Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Morbius has proven able to heal from multiple gunshot wounds in less than an hour. More severe injuries, such as broken bones or severe burns, might take several days to heal, but once was shown to take minutes even though it left him as a near-mindless creature who must feed to replenish the energy that was used to do so. He is unable to regenerate
Regeneration (biology)
In biology, regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage. Every species is capable of regeneration, from bacteria to humans. At its most...
missing limbs or organs.
Most of Morbius' victims die or are severely injured by his bite. Unlike supernatural vampires, Morbius' victims do not necessarily become vampires themselves. There have only been four instances where Morbius' bite has turned other individuals into vampires: Jefferson Bolt (a young man first seen in Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up
Marvel Team-Up is the name of several American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series featured two or more Marvel characters in one story...
#3), Emilio (a young man first shown in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #7), Vic Slaughter (a bounty hunter who first appeared in Morbius the Living Vampire #7) and Blade the vampire hunter
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
in Peter Parker: Spider-Man #8. The causes behind these transformations have never been clearly explained (although in Blade's case, Morbius's bite combined with his unique physiology to turn him into a part-vampire with all the strengths of a traditional vampire and none of the weaknesses).
One interesting fact concerns the blood of Spider-Man. Apparently, the irradiated blood of the wall-crawler has a kind of reverse-effect on Morbius, causing his vampirism to go into remission. As a result, after drinking Spider-Man's blood, Morbius does not need to feed again for some time. Morbius once developed a serum based on Spider-Man's blood which would stave off his vampirism for short periods of time.
Morbius possesses the ability of transvection
Transvection (flying)
Transvection is the supernatural act of levitating, floating or more specifically flying through the air. While levitation and magical flight can equate to acts of stage magic or astral projection through the use of psychoactive entheogens, transvection usually refers to the experience of bodily...
, navigating wind currents and gliding for various distances. In Morbius the Living Vampire #2, it was alluded to that this ability may be related to hyper-evolved portions of his brain caused by a combination of his blood disease and vampiric condition.
While briefly infected by the demon Bloodthirst, Morbius gained the ability to liquidize his body, moving through small spaces and stretching his limbs as needed. He lost these abilities when he and Bloodthirst split.
Michael Morbius possesses a gifted intellect, and is an expert biochemist and neuroradiologist with a Ph.D. in biochemistry.
House of M
Michael Morbius briefly appears in a flashback, as one of the scientists that gave Luke CageLuke Cage
Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...
his powers.
Marvel Zombies 3
A zombified version of Morbius appears in the 2008-2009 Marvel Zombies 3Marvel Zombies 3
Marvel Zombies 3 is a four-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics beginning in October 2008. It is part of the Marvel Zombies series. The series is written by Fred Van Lente, penciled by Kev Walker, with covers by Greg Land.-Plot:...
. The real Morbius of Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
(mainstream universe) is kidnapped and beaten by his zombie counterpart who found a way from the Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
universe into the Marvel universe. Zombie Morbius holds the normal one captive while using a latex mask to look normal. It is revealed that he plans to infect every member of the Fifty State Initiative
Fifty State Initiative
The Fifty State Initiative, often referred to as simply The Initiative, is a fictional governmental plan that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to The Avengers...
with the zombie virus. His captivity is later inadvertently uncovered by an A.R.M.O.R. team member whom Morbius tries to warn of an impending attack. The warning comes too late as Morbius' counterpart attacks the team member and infects her, thus creating a violent chain of events after she attacks another team member. Towards the end of the crisis the real Morbius appears out of nowhere and grabs a tree, which he uses as a stake and stabs the zombiefied version from behind and straight into the heart, killing him instantly.
Ultimate Morbius
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
" Morbius first appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#95. Unlike the original character from which he was derived, Ultimate Morbius is a "true" vampire, the son of Dracul
Vlad II Dracul
Vlad II , known as Vlad Dracul , was a voivode of Wallachia. He reigned from 1436 to 1442, and again from 1443 to 1447...
, and brother of Vlad III Dracula
Vlad III the Impaler
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia , also known by his patronymic Dracula , and posthumously dubbed Vlad the Impaler , was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462, the period of the incipient Ottoman conquest of the Balkans...
himself (who was, in Ultimate Marvel continuity, the same as the historic ruler of our world, rather than a vampire), with all of the powers and abilities associated with the usual interpretation of Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
. This Morbius, however, seems to be heroically struggling against his baser instincts, and is in fact a vampire hunter
Vampire hunter
A vampire hunter or vampire slayer is a character in folklore and fiction who specializes in finding and destroying vampires, and sometimes other supernatural creatures....
. He meets Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
in a typical misunderstanding, centering around a cabal of vampires attacking Ben Urich. He is really trying to stop Urich from becoming a vampire, which he succeeds in doing despite the conflict. When Spider-Man is bitten by a vampire, Morbius sniffs him and determines that he is immune to vampirism.
Spider-Man newspaper strip
In the Spider-Man newspaper strip, Morbius returns to New York, seemingly cured of his vampirism, and with a fiance, Martine Bankcroft, in tow; however, at night he begins exhibiting his old symptoms and comes into conflict with Spider-Man. It is later revealed that his fiance is behind his troubles, she is also revealed to have vampire-like abilities. Confronting his fiance on the roof of their apartment, Morbius learns that, in Martine's search for a cure to Morbius' vampirism, she stumbled on the tomb of DraculaDracula (Marvel Comics)
Dracula is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He is based on the vampire Count Dracula from the novel of the same name by author Bram Stoker, and is also influenced by Universal Studios' version of the character.-Publication history:A...
and was attacked and murdered by him. Dracula fed off of her blood and, in doing so, converted her. Having been secretly converting him at night, Martine attempts to persuade Morbius to join the brotherhood of vampires by feeding on a human being she has captured (Mary Jane Parker) but Morbius refuses. Spider-Man interrupts the two, but is knocked unconscious by Martine in a brief struggle. Martine demands Morbius feast on Spider-Man's blood, but when he again refuses, she threatens the life of MJ. Morbius again proves defiant and saves MJ, but in the process Martine loses her balance and plummets from the roof, with Morbius diving after her. Spider-Man recovers, but can only use his webbing to save one of them. He successfully snags Morbius, but Martine falls to her death. Morbius forgives Spider-Man and mourns his lost love.
Television
Spider-Man (1994 TV series)
Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
voiced by Nick Jameson
Nick Jameson
Nick Jameson is an American actor and voice actor, as well as a songwriter, composer, musician and producer. He has appeared in the television series The Critic, 24, Lost and, vocally, in Star Wars: Clone Wars as Palpatine , the radio adaption of Dark Empire, and several other productions of Star...
. Morbius first appeared in his human form in "The Insidious Six" (Season #2, episode 1) and the episode that followed his debut, Battle of the Insidious Six. In these episodes, Morbius has a romance with Felicia Hardy (the Black Cat in the future). In the episode entitled "Morbius", he stole a vial of Peter Parker's blood in the belief this was part of Parker's entry in a science competition they were both competing in. While examining the blood in his laboratory, one of the vampire bats he was experimenting on escaped, and began to lap it up. When Morbius tried to scare the bat away, it bit him. The bite infected him with Parker's irradiated blood, transforming him into a living vampire.
He appeared as a villain in the following four episodes: Enter the Punisher, Duel of the Hunters, Blade the Vampire Hunter, and The Immortal Vampire. At the end of The Immortal Vampire Felicia manages to appeal to Morbius' humanity and Morbius redeems himself at the end of this episode. Later Morbius appears in the episodes "The Awakening" and "The Vampire Queen" in Season #4. At the end of "The Vampire Queen", Morbius joins forces with vampire hunter Blade and Black Cat
Black Cat (comics)
The Black Cat is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 ....
to stop Blade's evil mother, Mirium. Morbius made a cameo at the beginning and end of the second episode of the animated version of "Secret Wars
Secret Wars
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is a twelve-issue comic book crossover limited series published from May 1984 to April 1985 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton...
," along with Blade, who were not only concerned about stopping Mirium but curious where Black Cat went (she was transported from Earth to the Secret Wars planet to fight alongside Spider-Man). That was the last appearance of Morbius in the show. Fundamental changes were enforced upon his depiction by Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, who imposed a heavy level of censorship on the series. These changes include being unable to bite anyone, despite having fangs and clearly being a vampire. Instead he was rendered with suckers on his palms to drain his victims, similar to another "Living Vampire" from the Marvel Universe, Bloodscream
Bloodscream
Bloodscream is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and an enemy of Wolverine.-Publication history:Bloodscream's first appearance was in Wolverine vol...
. The word 'blood' was not allowed to be used in any capacity, and was replaced with 'plasma
Blood plasma
Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
'.
Film
- In the bonus features of the BladeBlade (film)Blade is a 1998 vampire superhero action horror starring Wesley Snipes and Stephen Dorff, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character Blade. The film was directed by Stephen Norrington and written by David S. Goyer. Blade grossed $70 million at the U.S. box office, and $131.2 million worldwide...
DVD under the La Magra title, an alternate ending can be seen where Blade, after dispatching Deacon FrostDeacon FrostDeacon Frost is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Universe. He appears in The Tomb of Dracula and in the Blade limited series.- Publication history :...
, walks out onto the rooftop of a building only to glimpse a figure whose identity is concealed behind a cloth mask. The film's writer David S. GoyerDavid S. GoyerDavid Samuel Goyer is an American screenwriter, film director and comic book writer.-Early life:Goyer was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended Hebrew school and has described himself as "half Jewish"...
has stated that he originally intended Morbius to be the primary villain should there be a sequel to Blade. This was eventually scrapped in favor of the Reaper storyline in the actual Blade IIBlade IIBlade II is a 2002 superhero vampire film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Blade. It is the sequel of the Blade film series. It was written by David S. Goyer, who also wrote the previous film...
film.
Video games
- Morbius appears as a non-playable "call-in" character in the video game Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum CarnageSpider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage is a scrolling fighting game for the Super NES and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, developed by Software Creations and published by LJN in 1994...
. When summoned, he distracts or injures enemies, depending on which title character the player is utilizing.
- Morbius appeared in the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, PS2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, and PSPPlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
versions of Spider Man 3Spider-Man 3 (video game)Spider-Man 3 is an action game loosely based on the Spider-Man 3 film and released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions were developed by Treyarch, the PC version by Beenox while...
video game voiced by Sean DonnellanSean DonnellanSean Donnellan is a television host, voice actor, and comedian. He is known for being a host on How to Boil Water and Faux Pause and the announcer on Batman Beyond....
. Spider-Man spends many parts of the game trying to find a cure for Morbius. This involves battling Morbius on more than one occasion.
- In Marvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
, Blade mentions Morbius as being the one who turned him into a "pseudo-vampire".
External links
- Morbius at the Big Comic Book DataBaseBig Comic Book DataBaseThe Big Comic Book DataBase is a website containing information about comic books, and run by the maintainers of the Big Cartoon DataBase. , the database contains information on over 100,000 books in 5000+ series, including over 35,000 cover scans....
- Morbius, the Living Vampire at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Morbius Revisited at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Morbius at SpiderFan.org
- Brief bio at Insania 1998