Shaman (comics)
Encyclopedia
Shaman is a fictional character
, a superhero
in the Marvel Comics
universe
and a member of Alpha Flight
.
(specifically the Tsuu T'ina) and is from Calgary
, Alberta
.
Twoyoungmen's grandfather, elderly and near death, asks him to become his mystical apprentice. Twoyoungmen, not believing in magic, refuses. At around the same time, Kathryn Twoyoungmen became terminally ill. Twoyoungmen sought desperately for a cure but, despite promising his daughter Elizabeth he would find one, Kathryn dies; his grandfather passes away on the very same day.
Grief-stricken, Twoyoungmen secluded himself in a cabin in Banff National Park
, leaving Elizabeth to be raised by family friends the McNeils (whose daughter Heather would one day become Alpha Flight leader Vindicator). Twoyoungmen's failure to save Kathryn kindles a deep-seated resentment and anger in Elizabeth. In his cabin, Twoyoungmen receives the skull of his grandfather and experiences a vision of the man. Twoyoungmen studies Sarcee magic, eventually becoming strong enough in his belief to draw mystical items from his enchanted medicine bag at will. He adopts the title and garb of Shaman.
Several years later, Shaman assists in the birth of Snowbird
, the product of a mystical union between a human and the goddess Nelvanna. Shaman cast spells to bind Snowbird to the Earthly realm. He raises her and she ages rapidly, stabilizing several weeks later at a physical age in her 20s. Seeking superhuman agents to join Alpha Flight, Heather and her husband James Hudson (aka Alpha Flight organizer Guardian
) visit Shaman and recruited both him and Snowbird.
A few years after Shaman joined Alpha Flight, his daughter Elizabeth discovers a skull at an archeological site and experienced a vision of Ranaq the Devourer, one of the Great Beasts
. She summons her father, whom she knew was Shaman despite a spell he had cast to conceal his identity, to examine the skull. The two then meet Lucas Strang and his great-granddaughter Emily. Emily is possessed by Ranaq and he attempts to destroy Elizabeth, but instead activates her latent mystical powers, allowing her to defeat him. Shaman has Elizabeth reach into his medicine bag and withdraw the "Coronet of Enchantment," a mystical circlet which she dons to become Talisman
, a prophesied person of great mystical power. Shaman did not tell Talisman that the Coronet, once donned, could not be removed without causing her intense agony. Shortly thereafter, Talisman is trapped in the pocket dimension contained within Shaman's medicine bag despite Shaman's promise he would save her. Although she was rescued by the Beyonder
, this latest failed promise turns her resentment of Shaman into hatred.
Shaman's failure to save his daughter leads to a crisis of faith and Shaman was unable to draw mystical items from his medicine bag. Shaman embarks on a vision quest and learns anew the secrets of mysticism from the spirit of his grandfather. Shaman gains the power to beseech nature spirits for aid, although he could not command them as Elizabeth could. He also receives a staff and a helmet which is also his familiar spirit
.
Snowbird was now about to give birth to her first child and the birth needed to happen at a "place of power." Shaman beseeches the spirits to lead him to such a place. However, Talisman, corrupted by her power and fueled by her rage, compels the spirits to lead Shaman and Alpha Flight to a place of evil. Snowbird's child is possessed by the spirit of a sailor who had lain under the permafrost
for over a century. Calling himself Pestilence
, he battles Alpha Flight. Talisman plans to allow Pestilence to defeat Alpha Flight and then step in to defeat him, humiliating her father. However, Talisman is unable to defeat Pestilence as he is only partially dead due to being preserved in ice, thus out of the influence of her powers, and he tears the Coronet of Enchantment from her brow. Shocked back to her senses, Elizabeth is devastated over what she has done and apologies to her father. Shaman, believing it was the only way to save Alpha Flight, dons the Coronet and took on the mantle and powers of Talisman. Shaman, who grew cold and distant as Talisman just as Elizabeth had, eventually relinquishes the Coronet to Elizabeth and takes up his original medicine bag and powers again. He continues to work with Alpha Flight again under the name Shaman.
Much later, time-displaced versions of Alpha Flight are brought forward in time and remain in the present, assuming the mantle of Alpha Flight while the original Alpha Flight depart Earth to return a clutch of Plodex
eggs to the Plodex homeworld.
Shaman, along with Major Mapleleaf
II, both Pucks
, Guardian
, and Vindicator, is brutally attacked by the Collective
. Their bodies are left in the Yukon Territory as the Collective continues on to the United States. Shaman was later confirmed dead by Sasquatch.
During the "Chaos War
" storyline, Shaman (alongside Guardian, Vindicator, and Marrina Smallwood
) is among the heroes who return from the dead after what happened to the death realms due to Amatusu-Mikaboshi's rampage through the Underworld. He ends up with a reunited Alpha Flight when it comes to fighting the Great Beasts. Shaman remains among the living after the defeat of the Chaos King.
which contains a pocket dimension known as the Void. He can summon all manner of mystical objects and potions from the bag.
Following his vision quest, Shaman gained the power to beseech spirits to fulfill his requests. He could not force the spirits to obey. In this incarnation, Shaman carried a "spirit staff," which would glow when he summoned the spirits. He wore an "eagle helm," which could transform into an eagle which served as his familiar spirit
.
Shaman could levitate (but not fly) by manipulating ambient mystical energy.
When Shaman took on the role of Talisman
, he had the power to command natural spirits to do his will. He could manipulate vast mystical energy for a wide variety of effects. He has since relinquished these powers.
Fictional character
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...
, a 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 —...
in the 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...
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...
and a member of Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
.
Fictional character biography
Michael Twoyoungmen is a member of Canada's First NationsFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
(specifically the Tsuu T'ina) and is from Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
.
Twoyoungmen's grandfather, elderly and near death, asks him to become his mystical apprentice. Twoyoungmen, not believing in magic, refuses. At around the same time, Kathryn Twoyoungmen became terminally ill. Twoyoungmen sought desperately for a cure but, despite promising his daughter Elizabeth he would find one, Kathryn dies; his grandfather passes away on the very same day.
Grief-stricken, Twoyoungmen secluded himself in a cabin in Banff National Park
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 kilometres west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine...
, leaving Elizabeth to be raised by family friends the McNeils (whose daughter Heather would one day become Alpha Flight leader Vindicator). Twoyoungmen's failure to save Kathryn kindles a deep-seated resentment and anger in Elizabeth. In his cabin, Twoyoungmen receives the skull of his grandfather and experiences a vision of the man. Twoyoungmen studies Sarcee magic, eventually becoming strong enough in his belief to draw mystical items from his enchanted medicine bag at will. He adopts the title and garb of Shaman.
Several years later, Shaman assists in the birth of Snowbird
Snowbird (comics)
Snowbird is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 , and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:...
, the product of a mystical union between a human and the goddess Nelvanna. Shaman cast spells to bind Snowbird to the Earthly realm. He raises her and she ages rapidly, stabilizing several weeks later at a physical age in her 20s. Seeking superhuman agents to join Alpha Flight, Heather and her husband James Hudson (aka Alpha Flight organizer Guardian
Guardian (Marvel Comics)
Guardian , also known as Weapon Alpha and Vindicator, is a fictional character, a Canadian superhero in the who was the leader of Alpha Flight. He was created by John Byrne, and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #109 which was co-plotted by Byrne and his long-time collaborator Chris Claremont...
) visit Shaman and recruited both him and Snowbird.
A few years after Shaman joined Alpha Flight, his daughter Elizabeth discovers a skull at an archeological site and experienced a vision of Ranaq the Devourer, one of the Great Beasts
Great Beasts
The Great Beasts are fictional villains of supernatural origin, originally created as antagonists for the heroes of the Marvel Comics series Alpha Flight.-Publication history:...
. She summons her father, whom she knew was Shaman despite a spell he had cast to conceal his identity, to examine the skull. The two then meet Lucas Strang and his great-granddaughter Emily. Emily is possessed by Ranaq and he attempts to destroy Elizabeth, but instead activates her latent mystical powers, allowing her to defeat him. Shaman has Elizabeth reach into his medicine bag and withdraw the "Coronet of Enchantment," a mystical circlet which she dons to become Talisman
Talisman (comics)
Talisman is a superhero featured in the publications of Marvel Comics. She first appeared as Elizabeth Twoyoungmen in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #5...
, a prophesied person of great mystical power. Shaman did not tell Talisman that the Coronet, once donned, could not be removed without causing her intense agony. Shortly thereafter, Talisman is trapped in the pocket dimension contained within Shaman's medicine bag despite Shaman's promise he would save her. Although she was rescued by the Beyonder
Beyonder
The Beyonder is a fictional character in . Created by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, the immensely powerful Beyonder first appeared in Secret Wars vol. 1 #1 as an unseen force. He reappears in Secret Wars II #1 , which was created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom.-Publication history:The Beyonder was a...
, this latest failed promise turns her resentment of Shaman into hatred.
Shaman's failure to save his daughter leads to a crisis of faith and Shaman was unable to draw mystical items from his medicine bag. Shaman embarks on a vision quest and learns anew the secrets of mysticism from the spirit of his grandfather. Shaman gains the power to beseech nature spirits for aid, although he could not command them as Elizabeth could. He also receives a staff and a helmet which is also his familiar spirit
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
.
Snowbird was now about to give birth to her first child and the birth needed to happen at a "place of power." Shaman beseeches the spirits to lead him to such a place. However, Talisman, corrupted by her power and fueled by her rage, compels the spirits to lead Shaman and Alpha Flight to a place of evil. Snowbird's child is possessed by the spirit of a sailor who had lain under the permafrost
Permafrost
In geology, permafrost, cryotic soil or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years. Ice is not always present, as may be in the case of nonporous bedrock, but it frequently occurs and it may be in amounts exceeding the potential hydraulic saturation of...
for over a century. Calling himself Pestilence
Pestilence (comics)
Pestilence is a comic book supervillain who has battled the Canadian super-team Alpha Flight. The character Pestilence is a literary version of the real life Francis Crozier, who was second in command in Franklin's lost expedition to the Northwest Passage and later disappeared after taking command...
, he battles Alpha Flight. Talisman plans to allow Pestilence to defeat Alpha Flight and then step in to defeat him, humiliating her father. However, Talisman is unable to defeat Pestilence as he is only partially dead due to being preserved in ice, thus out of the influence of her powers, and he tears the Coronet of Enchantment from her brow. Shocked back to her senses, Elizabeth is devastated over what she has done and apologies to her father. Shaman, believing it was the only way to save Alpha Flight, dons the Coronet and took on the mantle and powers of Talisman. Shaman, who grew cold and distant as Talisman just as Elizabeth had, eventually relinquishes the Coronet to Elizabeth and takes up his original medicine bag and powers again. He continues to work with Alpha Flight again under the name Shaman.
Much later, time-displaced versions of Alpha Flight are brought forward in time and remain in the present, assuming the mantle of Alpha Flight while the original Alpha Flight depart Earth to return a clutch of Plodex
Marrina Smallwood
Marrina Smallwood is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was a member of the Alpha Flight and an honorary member of the Avengers. John Byrne created the character in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
eggs to the Plodex homeworld.
Shaman, along with Major Mapleleaf
Major Mapleleaf
Major Mapleleaf is the name of two fictional characters from the Marvel Comics Alpha Flight series. Both are created by Scott Lobdell.- Major Mapleleaf :...
II, both Pucks
Puck (comics)
Puck is the codename of two fictional characters, a father and daughter pair who are both members of Alpha Flight, in the Marvel Comics universe.-Puck :...
, Guardian
Guardian (Marvel Comics)
Guardian , also known as Weapon Alpha and Vindicator, is a fictional character, a Canadian superhero in the who was the leader of Alpha Flight. He was created by John Byrne, and first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #109 which was co-plotted by Byrne and his long-time collaborator Chris Claremont...
, and Vindicator, is brutally attacked by the Collective
Xorn
Xorn is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. First appearing in New X-Men Annual 2001, Xorn was a new addition to the X-Men membership during writer Grant Morrison's revamp of the franchise....
. Their bodies are left in the Yukon Territory as the Collective continues on to the United States. Shaman was later confirmed dead by Sasquatch.
During the "Chaos War
Chaos War (comics)
"Chaos War" is a Marvel Comics storyline that began publication in October 2010 across nine comic book series: the five-issue miniseries Chaos War, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, supplemented by seven branded miniseries or one-shot publications, and by three issues of Incredible Hulks, a...
" storyline, Shaman (alongside Guardian, Vindicator, and Marrina Smallwood
Marrina Smallwood
Marrina Smallwood is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was a member of the Alpha Flight and an honorary member of the Avengers. John Byrne created the character in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #1 .-Fictional character biography:...
) is among the heroes who return from the dead after what happened to the death realms due to Amatusu-Mikaboshi's rampage through the Underworld. He ends up with a reunited Alpha Flight when it comes to fighting the Great Beasts. Shaman remains among the living after the defeat of the Chaos King.
Powers and abilities
Shaman is a magic-wielder who carries a medicine bagMedicine bag
A medicine bag is a traditional North American Indian container for various items of supernatural power. While anyone may have one, usually it would be the medicine man, or shaman, of a tribe who would carry one...
which contains a pocket dimension known as the Void. He can summon all manner of mystical objects and potions from the bag.
Following his vision quest, Shaman gained the power to beseech spirits to fulfill his requests. He could not force the spirits to obey. In this incarnation, Shaman carried a "spirit staff," which would glow when he summoned the spirits. He wore an "eagle helm," which could transform into an eagle which served as his familiar spirit
Familiar spirit
In European folklore and folk-belief of the Medieval and Early Modern periods, familiar spirits were supernatural entities believed to assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic...
.
Shaman could levitate (but not fly) by manipulating ambient mystical energy.
When Shaman took on the role of Talisman
Talisman (comics)
Talisman is a superhero featured in the publications of Marvel Comics. She first appeared as Elizabeth Twoyoungmen in Alpha Flight vol. 1 #5...
, he had the power to command natural spirits to do his will. He could manipulate vast mystical energy for a wide variety of effects. He has since relinquished these powers.
Ultimate Shaman
Ultimate Shaman appears at a friendly baseball game with other Alpha Flight members in Ultimate X-Men #94. This version of Shaman is a mutant who possesses enhanced strength, speed, agility, and senses which have been enhanced through the drug Banshee & doesn't possess the magical abilities his Marvel Universe counterpart does.Television
- Shaman appears in the X-MenX-Men (TV series)X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
episode "Repo Man" voiced by Don FrancksDon FrancksDonald Harvey Francks or Iron Buffalo is a Canadian actor, vocalist and jazz musician.- Life and work :Francks was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a drummer, poet, native nations champion, motorcyclist, author and peace activist...
. He is shown as a member of Alpha Flight.