New Men (Marvel)
The New Men are a species that feature in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
The New Men were a animals that had been genetically uplifted with intelligence and humanoid forms that were creations of the High Evolutionary. In the 1930's, Herbert Edgar Wyndham had been using the laboratories in Oxford University in England for his research into evolution and the construction of his Genetic Accelerator. He attempted to showcase the work to the faculty staff but they expelled him forcing him to take his research back to his home. Months later, he conducted his first live test on his pet dog that was a Dalmatian named Dempsy. The test subject experienced radical mutation into a humanoid form where Wyndham attempted to ease the specimen in his new body. However, Dempsy recovered quickly and fled the home where he was encountered by a pair of hunters that shot him. As a result, Dempsy was killed and died in the arms of Wyndham with the incident convincing him that he needed to take his research to a more isolated part of the world away from mankind who would interfere in his experiments. At Paris, he met with Jonathan and Merriam Drew who were also engaged in research with the three deciding to take their work to a remote location in the Balkans. (Punisher Annual v1 #1)
Some time later, the High Evolutionary was visited by the spirit of a 6th century sorcerer named Magnus, who warned of the coming of the demon Chthon and offered to assist in the training of select New Men as the Knights of Wundagore. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #22) These brave few were able to repel the evil entity, and remained as the high guard of the Evolutionary's personal society. (X-Men Annual v1 #12)
When the New Man known as the Man-Beast was created using a new isotope that granted him psionic powers, he quickly grew rebellious and ousted his creator from his own home. With the help of Thor, the Evolutionary was able to reclaim his castle, but decided to go into space to seek a new destiny for his creations. (Thor v1 #135) While some, including the Knights of Wundagore, accompanied him, others decided to stay behind on Earth and establish a small hamlet on their mountain home. (Wolverine: First Class v1 #3)
At some point, Counter Earth was recreated with the New Men living on this duplicate world that existed on the opposite side of Sol. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver would travel there leading to a confrontation with the New Men after they learnt that Magneto was not their father. After their disappearance, a new Avengers Unity Squad was assembled by Rogue in search for the pair. (Uncanny Avengers v2 #1) However, the New Men who failed at meeting his standards were exterminated on a routine basis. Those who managed to evade extermination were given refuge in Lowtown by the Low Evolutionary. (Uncanny Avengers v2 #2)
Following the establishment of Krakoa, the Mutants were growing to become the dominant species on Earth. Their importance in galactic affairs only grew after the colonisation of Mars which was renamed Arakko. These developments led to a sentient alien fungal intelligence called Cordyceps Jones making a wager on Gameworld that involved the destruction of Earth. The High Evolutionary though was impressed at the Mutants growth and with his New Men approached the X-Men where he offered to unleash a virus that would kill of baseline humans. This he believed was a mercy for humans and would allow Mutants to grow and flourish on the planet. This resulted in a fight as the X-Men opposed him leading to a battle against the New Men Evolutionary Guard who accompanied their master. Though the New Men were defeated, the X-Men were unable to stop the High Evolutionary himself until Synch offered his blood which intrigued the geneticist. He then decided to depart peaceful with his New Men accompanying him as they left Earth. (X-Men v2 #3)
Overview
In appearance, the New Men were a race of genetically evolved humanoid animals that were uplifted by the High Evolutionary. (Thor v1 #134)
Groups that formed among the New Men included:
- Knights of the Wundagore :
- Evolutionary Guard : the personal guard who attended the High Evolutionary. (X-Men v2 #3)
- Ani-Men :
- Ani-Mutants :
- Cult of the Jackal : these New Men revered the scientist Miles Warren and believed he offered them true freedom by trying to become fully human. As a result, their actions angered the High Evolutionary who sought to end this worship. The followers then hid and formed an underground rebellion where they continued to believe in Warren even after he became the Jackal. (Scarlet Spider Unlimited v1 #1)
Members
- Bova :
- Gorr :
- Man-Beast : a male wolf subjected to the evolutionary ray for too long gifting him with mental powers and a hatred for all other life. (Thor v1 #134)
- Sir Ram :
- Ursula :
- Vermin :
- Simbus :
- Tantaro :
- Urson-Wellz :
- White Tiger :
- Teslelephant :
- Bi-son :
Notes
- The New Men were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where they made their first appearance in Thor v1 #133 (October 1966).
In other media
Television
- In X-Men: The Animated Series, the New Men appeared in the setting of the animated television series in the episode "Family Ties" where they were creations of the High Evolutionary with them residing at Mount Wundagore. Alongside Bova, other New Men included a goat, lion, rhinoceros, deer, panda, zebra, musk oxen, snow leopard and a warthog. The wounded Magda came to Mount Wundagore where she left her two newborn children Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in the care of Lady Bova who would later pass them to a man named Djanjo who looked after them with his wife. Many years later, the now adult Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver returned to Wundagore to find more about their mother. The High Evolutionary would take them in his care and confirmed their identities through a DNA match where he revealed that Magneto was their father who had killed their mother in a rage. He would send some of his finest New Men warriors to accompany the twins as they sought revenge against the Master of Magnetism but after succeeding they were betrayed by the animal hybrids who brought all three to their master. With their genetic material, the High Evolutionary intended to create a superior breed of New Men through a refinement of the process where he succeeded in turning Wolverine into a wolf hybrid. The X-Men would arrive to save their comrades with the New Men being defeated though they would be teleported into their master's citadel that turned into a craft where it departed from the area.
- In Spider-Man Unlimited, the New Men featured heavily in the 1990's animated television series. These versions were created on Counter Earth by the High Evolutionary after he arrived on that world from Earth to find a utopia free from human violence and darker nature. However, on Counter Earth he found the native humans were engaged in war and violence leading to the High Evolutionary beginning his own experiments around 50 years ago to bring about his utopia. His experiments led to the creation of a race of 'new men' that he called Beastials consisting of a wide variety of animal hybrids that became the dominant race on the planet whilst mankind was relegated to second class citizens. The elite in this society were the Knights of Wundagore that served the High Evolutionary whilst the Machine Men served as enforcers of this new world order.
- In Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., the New Men made an appearance in the episode "Future Shock" where they were called the Animal Men. They developed in a parallel timeline where the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. were trapped in space and unable to stop a gamma meteor from hitting Earth. The resultant damage from the meteor devastated human civilization that resorted to savagery until the High Evolutionary transformed mankind into animal hybrids that he called his Animal Men. This new species became the inheritors of the planet and transformed it into a primitive yet idyllic paradise in the course of a thousand years. A temporal distortion led to the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. crashing onto this future Earth where the Hulk's battled the Animal Men until the intervention of the High Evolutionary who conducted evolutionary experiments on the gamma mutated heroes. Ultimately, the High Evolutionary was defeated when his devolution ray in his staff was damaged causing it to feedback on himself turning him into a baby which the Animal Men took in his care.
- In Guardians of the Galaxy, a version of the New Men appeared in the animated television series in the episode "Evolution Rock" with these being Hybrids. These were the failed experiments of the High Evolutionary with them being creatures with traits of various different animal species. They did not demonstrate the ability to speak but understood the commands of their creator and operated his starship as well as its equipment. The Hybrids aided their master in his quest for genetic perfection in finding useful traits from others to add to his own body's biology. Thus, they accompanied him to Earth where they aided him in his battle with the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers.
Appearances
- Thor v1: (1966)
- Quicksilver:
- Heroes for Hire v1:
- New Warriors:
- Wolverine: First Class v1:
- Uncanny Avengers v2:
- X-Men v6: (2021)
External Links
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