Salem's Seven
Encyclopedia
Salem's Seven was a team of magical supervillains in the Marvel Comics
universe
. They were foes of the Scarlet Witch
and the Fantastic Four
. All seven were the children of Nicholas Scratch
and the grandchildren of Agatha Harkness
. They were humans with magic powers who could transform into fantastic creatures with super-powers.
vol. 1 #186 (September 1977), and was created by Len Wein
and George Pérez
.
The team subsequently appears in Fantastic Four Annual #14 (1979), Fantastic Four #223 (October 1980), The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #3 (December 1985), The Avengers 2000 Annual, Marvel Knights: 4 #25-27 (February–April 2006), and Four #30 (August 2006).
The team has an entry named "Salem's Seven" in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition
#19.
, son of Sue
and Reed Richards
of the Fantastic Four
. Scratch had Salem's Seven abduct Agatha for purportedly betraying the New Salem community. They also brought back Franklin with them to give to Scratch as a new host-body, which forced the Fantastic Four to pursue. Although initially overcome and imprisoned, the Four defeated their captors, banished Scratch from this dimension, and saved Harkness. When Salem's Seven much later tried to avenge themselves on Harkness, she removed their ability to change forms.
Over the years, Salem's Seven managed to reverse the spells locking them out of their enhanced forms, greatly weakening Harkness in the process. They took control of New Salem, and with Vertigo as their leader, they turned the whole community against Harkness and burned her at the stake. The Scarlet Witch
and the Vision
were then drawn to New Salem, where they were captured by the Seven. Gazelle dissented with the group's plans of sacrifice, and was thrown in with the prisoners. The Vision escaped and battled Vertigo, who drew into herself the powers of the other 665 residents of New Salem. When the Vision defeated her, Vertigo lost control of the power. The Scarlet Witch managed to channel some of it off, but in the ensuing explosion all of New Salem was apparently wiped out, including the Seven.
The next Halloween, Wanda attempted to commune with Agatha Harkness's spirit, but was drawn through into the land of the dead, where she was confronted with spirits of the Seven (except Gazelle) who had aligned themselves with a being that called itself Samhain
. Wanda defeated Samhain and bound him within the spirits of the six of the Seven.
Via samples of their DNA, Brutacus, Hydron, Reptilla, Thornn, and Vakume were later re-animated as some of Arnim Zola
's proto-husks. These were all introduced and then promptly slain for humorous effect by Deadpool
in Deadpool #0, a free giveaway
from Wizard magazine
.
Salem's Seven was recently resurrected when the Scarlet Witch's mental breakdown
and manipulation of magic restored them to life. Their father, Nicholas Scratch, manipulated them into releasing Shuma-Gorath
but then aided the FF, Diablo
, and Doctor Strange
in defeating Scratch and Shuma-Gorath. The seven are now living with Strange and are friends of the FF.
operating out of Salem, Oregon, the Seven (as they are called) are a new Super Hero team. Although they are saving many people, they are just as quick to fight the Fantastic Four to get the chance to do so first. Members Include:
In issue #56, it is revealed that the group are one being, a creature known as the Dragon-of-Seven which can separate into multiple forms. As a single entity, the Dragon takes the form of Agatha Harkness
.
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...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. They were foes of the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
and the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
. All seven were the children of Nicholas Scratch
Nicholas Scratch
Nicholas Scratch is a fictional wizard in the Marvel Comics universe. He is predominantly a foe of the Fantastic Four. The name "Nicholas Scratch" is an amalgam of colloquial names for the Devil: "Old Nick" and "Old Scratch" or "Mr...
and the grandchildren of Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness is a fictional character, a powerful witch in the Marvel Comics universe. Supposedly, she was one of the original witches from the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts. She somehow survived and later became a significant figure in Marvel continuity, protecting Franklin...
. They were humans with magic powers who could transform into fantastic creatures with super-powers.
Publication history
The team first appeared in Fantastic FourFantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
vol. 1 #186 (September 1977), and was created by Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
and George Pérez
George Pérez
George Pérez is a Puerto Rican-American writer and illustrator of comic books, known for his work on various titles, including Avengers, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.-Biography:...
.
The team subsequently appears in Fantastic Four Annual #14 (1979), Fantastic Four #223 (October 1980), The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #3 (December 1985), The Avengers 2000 Annual, Marvel Knights: 4 #25-27 (February–April 2006), and Four #30 (August 2006).
The team has an entry named "Salem's Seven" in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#19.
Fictional team history
Salem's Seven originated in the town of New Salem, Colorado, a hidden town populated entirely by magicians who mostly lived in fear and loathing of normal humanity. All of Salem's Seven were fathered among different women by Nicholas Scratch. Scratch's own mother Agatha Harkness was the most powerful of the town's inhabitants, but she chose to leave the village and live among humanity. In time she became governess for Franklin RichardsFranklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
, son of Sue
Invisible Woman
Susan "Sue" Storm Richards is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 in November 1961, and was the first female superhero created by Marvel in the Silver Age of Comics...
and Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
of the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
. Scratch had Salem's Seven abduct Agatha for purportedly betraying the New Salem community. They also brought back Franklin with them to give to Scratch as a new host-body, which forced the Fantastic Four to pursue. Although initially overcome and imprisoned, the Four defeated their captors, banished Scratch from this dimension, and saved Harkness. When Salem's Seven much later tried to avenge themselves on Harkness, she removed their ability to change forms.
Over the years, Salem's Seven managed to reverse the spells locking them out of their enhanced forms, greatly weakening Harkness in the process. They took control of New Salem, and with Vertigo as their leader, they turned the whole community against Harkness and burned her at the stake. The Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
and the Vision
Vision (Marvel Comics)
The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first Vision was created by the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that...
were then drawn to New Salem, where they were captured by the Seven. Gazelle dissented with the group's plans of sacrifice, and was thrown in with the prisoners. The Vision escaped and battled Vertigo, who drew into herself the powers of the other 665 residents of New Salem. When the Vision defeated her, Vertigo lost control of the power. The Scarlet Witch managed to channel some of it off, but in the ensuing explosion all of New Salem was apparently wiped out, including the Seven.
The next Halloween, Wanda attempted to commune with Agatha Harkness's spirit, but was drawn through into the land of the dead, where she was confronted with spirits of the Seven (except Gazelle) who had aligned themselves with a being that called itself Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
. Wanda defeated Samhain and bound him within the spirits of the six of the Seven.
Via samples of their DNA, Brutacus, Hydron, Reptilla, Thornn, and Vakume were later re-animated as some of Arnim Zola
Arnim Zola
Arnim Zola is a fictional character a supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a master of biochemistry, and frequent foe of Captain America and the Avengers.-Publication history:...
's proto-husks. These were all introduced and then promptly slain for humorous effect by Deadpool
Deadpool (comics)
Deadpool is a fictional character, a mercenary and anti-hero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool first appeared in The New Mutants #98 Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional character, a mercenary and...
in Deadpool #0, a free giveaway
Sales promotion
Sales promotion is one of the four aspects of promotional mix. Media and non-media marketing communication are employed for a pre-determined, limited time to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability...
from Wizard magazine
Wizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
.
Salem's Seven was recently resurrected when the Scarlet Witch's mental breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
and manipulation of magic restored them to life. Their father, Nicholas Scratch, manipulated them into releasing Shuma-Gorath
Shuma-Gorath
Shuma-Gorath is a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard, best known for his later interpretations as a demonic enemy of Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics publications. He is also well known for being an unconventional playable character in the Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom video...
but then aided the FF, Diablo
Diablo (comics)
Diablo is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe who is an enemy of the Fantastic Four. He is depicted as an evil alchemist. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Fantastic Four vol...
, 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 ....
in defeating Scratch and Shuma-Gorath. The seven are now living with Strange and are friends of the FF.
Team members
- Brutacus - Son of Scratch, transforms into a leonine humanoid with red horns which has strength and durability sufficient to match the ThingThing (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...
or the VisionVision (Marvel Comics)The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first Vision was created by the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that... - Gazelle - Daughter of Scratch, transforms into a cloven-hoofed person with super-speed and agility.
- Hydron - Son of Scratch, transforms into bipedBipedBipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs, or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning "two feet"...
al mermanMermanMermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...
who can fire controllable streams of water from the stump-end of his left arm. - Reptilla - Daughter of Scratch, transforms into serpentine form with a single long tail instead of legs, and two poisonous serpents instead of her arms. She has the ability to constrict and to also bite with her hand-snakes.
- Thornn - Son of Scratch, transforms into a yellow demonic humanoid with large red thorns jutting from the arms and legs. He has the ability to throw explosive or stunning thorns. He is a rather different gender from Thornn of the MorlocksMorlocks (comics)The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
. - Vakume - Son of Scratch, transforms into a featureless purple humanoid. He has the ability to become intangible and control air, creating winds and vacuums.
- Vertigo - African-American and eldest daughter of Scratch with no special transformation. She is not the same character as Vertigo of the Savage Land MutatesSavage Land MutatesThe Savage Land Mutates are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain group based in the Savage Land, a hidden Antarctic environment of dinosaurs and primitive people in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional team biography:...
, but possesses the same ability to attack a person's sense of balance.
Ultimate Marvel
Appearing in Ultimate Fantastic FourUltimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
operating out of Salem, Oregon, the Seven (as they are called) are a new Super Hero team. Although they are saving many people, they are just as quick to fight the Fantastic Four to get the chance to do so first. Members Include:
- Alpha Dog - Leader of the Seven. He is able to alter density of objects allowing for the appearance of super-strength and invulnerability.
- Ghostware - Member of the Seven with the ability to phase others and self through solid matter.
- Neuropath - Member of the Seven with emotional induction which allows for control of others' emotions.
- Penultimate - Member of the Seven with cybernetically-enhanced body and high-tech weaponry.
- Primal Screamer - Member of the Seven with powerful vocal blasts.
- Filament - Member of the Seven who creates hyper-dimensional threads which cut through all matter
- Synchron - Member of the Seven who can alters probability in such a way that he can be in several positions at once, attacking from many directions.
In issue #56, it is revealed that the group are one being, a creature known as the Dragon-of-Seven which can separate into multiple forms. As a single entity, the Dragon takes the form of Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness is a fictional character, a powerful witch in the Marvel Comics universe. Supposedly, she was one of the original witches from the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts. She somehow survived and later became a significant figure in Marvel continuity, protecting Franklin...
.
Television
- The Salem's Seven would appear in The Avengers: United They StandThe Avengers: United They StandThe Avengers: United They Stand is an animated series based on the Marvel Comics superhero team The Avengers. It consists of 13 episodes, which originally premiered on October 30, 1999, and was produced by Avi Arad and distributed by 20th Century Fox Television...
episode The Sorceress Apprentice. They alongside Nicholas ScratchNicholas ScratchNicholas Scratch is a fictional wizard in the Marvel Comics universe. He is predominantly a foe of the Fantastic Four. The name "Nicholas Scratch" is an amalgam of colloquial names for the Devil: "Old Nick" and "Old Scratch" or "Mr...
end up kidnapping Agatha Harkness. Scarlet Witch and Vision ended up having to fight them while the others were busy fighting Grim ReaperGrim Reaper (comics)Grim Reaper is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in The Avengers #52 May , by Roy Thomas and John Buscema.-Fictional character biography:...
.