Morlun
Morlun is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Morlun was a vampiric being from the Multiverse who was one of a family of such entities with them being known as the Inheritors
In the distant past, Morlun and his family took part in a battle against the Master Weaver and succeeded in capturing it and using its power to travel between dimensions and hunt all Spider-Totemic avatars. (Superior Spider-Man v1 #33)
The Other
At some point, Morlun travelled to Earth-616 and hunted a Spider-Totem named Ezekiel Sims, who managed to elude him. Ezekiel would go on to compile research on Morlun and take measures to protect future generations of Spider-Totems, such as Cindy Moon and Peter Parker, explaining the totemic side of their powers, warning them about Morlun, and attempting to take them into protective custody. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #30) After Peter's meeting with Ezekiel, Morlun and his hapless minion Dex subtly began tormenting Peter from the shadows, stalking him and wreaking havoc with his spider-sense. Morlun finally revealed himself when Spider-Man was investigating a fire at the wharf, punching him with what Spider-Man claimed was the hardest punch he had ever felt. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #31) Morlun then told Spider-Man that he would eventually kill him, and now that they had made physical contact, he could find Spider-Man wherever he went. Though Spider-Man fought back, Morlun continually regained the upper hand. Peter tried to flee, but Morlun was able to find him easily and resume the fight. Spider-Man finally got away after Morlun burned down the building they were fighting in, but Ezekiel told him it was no use. Morlun would find him once again, and killed him. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #32) Morlun continually attacked Spider-Man over the next few days, endangering the lives of innocent citizens if Peter tried to flee. With Ezekiel's help, Peter managed to briefly escape with a sample of Morlun's blood, which he discovered contained the DNA of every genus in the animal kingdom. Realizing that Morlun's DNA was pure, Peter found a weakness he could exploit. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #33) Luring Morlun to a nuclear power plant, Spider-Man injected himself with a dose of radiation that would kill a normal human being, but was only enough to weaken him due to the radiation already in his blood. When Morlun arrived, he prepared to feed, only to be burned instead by the radiation in Peter's blood. Peter explained that he wasn't a pure spider totem as Morlun had guessed due to the spider that bit him having been previously subjected to a dose of radiation, and that while Morlun could feed on the spider, he could not digest the radiation. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #34) Absorbing the radiation rather than his spider-powers with every punch Peter threw at him, Morlun began to disintegrate, and he pleaded for Spider-Man to spare his life, saying he was merely doing what was necessary for his survival and that it was nothing personal. While Peter debated on whether or not to let a monster like Morlun go, Dex suddenly appeared and shot Morlun, causing him to crumble to dust. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #35)
Morlun returned in order to plague Spider-Man by sudden and mysterious appearances, warning him that he was going to finish him. Spider-Man, for a reason not explainable by science, was dying, and Morlun wished to watch the causes and effects of his ailment. In a climactic battle, Morlun beats Spider-Man badly, ripping out one of his eyeballs, but leaves when the police arrive, opting for a more appropriate time to absorb Spider-Man's life force, leaving the web slinger on the verge of death. (Amazing Spider-Man v1 #526) Returning soon thereafter, Morlun enters Spider-Man's room in the Emergency Ward and prepares to feast, apparently unconcerned about the presence of the Avengers in the hospital. Mary Jane, who arrives at Peter's room just as Morlun is about to feed, tries to stop him, but he casually breaks her forearm and throws her off to one side. Spider-Man suddenly springs to life in a ferocious display of new powers, including stingers sprouting from his arms that he used to pin Morlun down, and fangs that he uses to rip Morlun's throat out. Morlun apparently dies once again, crumbling to dust. (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man v1 #3)
Spider-Verse
Meanwhile, the Inheritors massive dinner-table laden with crippled Spider-Totems are waiting for Morlun as he returns carrying Spider-Totem. Morlun is furious with his brother, Daemos had hunting on Earth-616 tells him it is his Spider-Totem as they fight until their father, Solus, intimidates them. Solus reminds them that he has known all along where the Bride, the Other, and the Scion are located, and about a prophecy that will bring the downfall of the Inheritors. He asks his son what is his desire. Morlun responds that his wish is to be his father's chosen heir, the Great Web is his legacy and obligation. Solus corrects him stating that the Web is all things and everywhere and that it is their kingdom making them the Inheritors of all creation. (Amazing Spider-Man v3 #10)
With the Spider-Robot, he and his fellow Inheritors created a signal to hijack one of their cloning banks. Such a machine existed on Earth-616 where it was recreated by Doctor Octopus who was using it to create clones for himself in case his body ever died. The Web Warriors came to learn of this and attacked Octavius's laboratory in an attempt to destroy the cloning technology leading to Doctor Octopus battling them as he did not believe their warnings. This provided the time needed for Morlun to incarnate in a new clone body on Earth-616 and thus escape his imprisonment. He then attacked the Spider Totems where he consumed Spider-Man Noir to sate his appetite and came under attack from Spider-UK who was killed by Morlun's sister Verna when she formed from the cloning bank. (Spider-Geddon v1 #1)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was part of an extended family of similar such beings who were known as the Inheritors. (Superior Spider-Man v1 #33)
In fact, he was regarded as the heir to Solus. (Amazing Spider-Man v3 #9)
Powers and abilities
Once Morlun touched his prey, he was able to sense their life force across great distances. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #33)
He had the ability to drain the life force from other beings through physical contact. (Amazing Spider-Man v2 #33)
Notes
- Morlun was created by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita, Jr. where he made his first appearance in the Amazing Spider-Man v2 #30 (June, 2001).
Alternate Versions
- In Spider-Man: Life Story v1 #5 (2019), Morlun appeared in the alternate world setting where he was an immortal that hunted for the Spider-Totem.
In other media
Video games
- In Spider-Man Unlimited, Morlun appeared as a boss antagonist in the video game where he was voiced by actor Travis Willingham.
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Morlun appeared as an antagonist in the video game where he was stated to be one of the Inheritors and favoured child of their patriarch Solus. He and his family hunted the universes spider-totems but had avoided one world due to his prior failures.
Novels
- In Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours, Morlun made an appearance in the novel written by Jim Butcher that published by Simon & Schuster. He was shown to be a member of a race or group of beings known as the Ancients that had a role in the natural order of things. After his death, other entities just like him known as Mortia, Thanis and Malos sought to get revenge for the death of their fellow Ancient. They would hire the Rhino to attack Spider-Man who would be helped by Doctor Strange though he was unable to help directly as the Ancients placement in the natural order and attacking them would bring about greater dangers. These Ancients would later betray the Rhino by attempting to feed on him after he accidently hit them in a fight with the Black Cat defeating them. Spider-Man speculated that their powers came primarily through concentration with them being vulnerable during the feeding process as they required to focus. Dex who was an old servant of Morlun would explain that Morlun often insisted on feeding in private explaining why Ezekiel was able to make him bleed by punching him when he was attempting to feed on Parker. Parker would use his prior strategy in defeating Morlun as the means of getting Black Cat and Rhino attack the Ancients by separating them from one another whilst they were trying to feed on the three. Spider-Man would use three unique gems given by Doctor Strange to trap each of the Ancients within a pocket dimension after they were rendered unconscious.
Appearances
- Amazing Spider-Man v2: (2001)
- Amazing Spider-Man v1:
- Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man v1:
- Superior Spider-Man v1:
- Spider-Geddon v1:
- Spider-Man: Life Story v1:
External Links
This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.
