| Adam Warlock | |
|---|---|
Warlock #9 (Oct. 1975). Cover art by Jim Starlin. |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | (as Him) Fantastic Four #66-67 (Sept.-Oct. 1967) (as Adam Warlock) Marvel Premiere #1 (April 1972) |
| Created by | Stan Lee & Jack Kirby |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | originally Him; changed to Adam Warlock |
| Team affiliations | Guardians of the Galaxy Infinity Watch |
| Notable aliases | Magus |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength; stamina; agility; endurance; flight; Energy manipulation |
Adam Warlock, originally known as Him, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #66 (Sept. 1967) (in cocoon form) and #67 (Oct. 1967), (in humanoid form) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books, the character has appeared in over four decades of Marvel publications, and starred in the popular titles Marvel Premiere and Strange Tales; five self-titled volumes and several related limited series. Adam Warlock has also been associated with Marvel merchandise including clothing; toys; trading cards; animated television series and video games.
He is sometimes referred as the "Gold-skinned Gladiator"[1] and "the Golden Gladiator".[1][2][3]
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The character debuted in Fantastic Four #66-67 (Sept.-Oct. 1967) in a story written by Stan Lee and pencilled and co-plotted by Jack Kirby. After a second appearance as "Him" in Thor #165-166 (June–July 1969), writer and then Marvel editor-in-chief Roy Thomas and penciler Gil Kane significantly revamped Him as the allegorical Messiah Adam Warlock in Marvel Premiere #1 (April 1972).
In 2009, Thomas explained he had been a fan of the soundtrack to the musical Jesus Christ Superstar and sought to bring the story to comic books in a superhero context: "Yes, I had some trepidation about the Christ parallels, but I hoped there would be little outcry if I handled it tastefully, since I was not really making any serious statement on religion ... at least not overtly." [4] Choosing to use a preexisting character while keeping the series locale separate from mainstream Marvel Earth, he created Counter-Earth, a new planet generated from a chunk of Earth and set in orbit on the opposite side of the sun.[5] Thomas and Kane collaborated on the costume, with the red tunic and golden lightning bolt as their homage to Fawcett Comics' 1940s-1950s character Captain Marvel.[5]
The story continued in the series The Power of Warlock, which ran eight issues (Aug. 1972 - Oct. 1973), with some plotlines concluded in The Incredible Hulk vol. 2, #158 (Dec. 1972). In a 2009 retrospective survey of the character, writer Karen Walker said the series
...continued the story of Adam's attempts to drive the [fallen-angel figure the] Man-Beast out of Counter-Earth, but drifted toward standard superhero stories with pseudo-Biblical references injected into them. Warlock spends much of his time trying to convince the High Evolutionary not to destroy the planet, and the rest of his time battling the Man-Beast and his minions. Although the concept of a superhero savior was still present, it often came across as forced, and certainly contradictory to the idea of a pacifistic savior. It's questionable whether the concept could really work in a medium driven by physical conflict.[6]
Writer-artist Jim Starlin revived Warlock in Strange Tales #178-181 (Feb.-Aug. 1975). Warlock's adventures became more cosmic in scope as Starlin took the character through an extended storyline referred to as "The Magus Saga."[7]
The reimagined title continued the numbering of The Power of Warlock and began with Warlock #9 (Oct. 1975) and ran seven issues. The bimonthly series was initially written and drawn by Starlin, but was eventually co-penciled and inked by Steve Leialoha. Some plot threads were concluded in Marvel Team-Up #55 (March 1977), Avengers Annual #7 (November 1977) and Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 (December 1977)
Starlin, in a 2009 interview, recalled,
"I had quit [the cosmic superhero series] Captain Marvel over a dispute at that point, but I settled the dispute with Marvel and I was going to come back [to that title]. But [a different team was in place]. So Roy [Thomas] asked me [what character] I wanted to do. So I went home that night and pulled out a bunch of comics. I came across, in the Fantastic Four, Him, and came back the next day and said that's who I wanted to do., and that night I started working on it. ...I had basically taken Captain Marvel, a warrior, and turned him into sort of a messiah-type character. So when I got to Warlock, I said to myself, 'I got a messiah right here to start off with; where do I go from there?' And I decided a paranoid schizophrenic was the route to take."[8]
Warlock's adventures were reprinted, with new Starlin covers, in the six-issue limited series Special Edition on Warlock (Dec. 1982 - May 1983).[9] This reprint series was itself reprinted, with yet another set of new Starlin covers, as Warlock vol. 2 (May-Oct. 1992).[10]
Although regarded as deceased, Warlock made a brief appearance in a Marvel Two-In-One #61-63 (March–May 1980).
Eleven years later, Starlin revived the character and two members of his supporting cast in the miniseries Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 (July-Dec. 1991). This plot development was a continuation of a larger storyline that began with the resurrection of Thanos in Silver Surfer vol. 3, #34 (Feb. 1990).
Following the events of the The Infinity Gauntlet (July-Dec. 1991), Warlock and several compatriots starred in the series Warlock and the Infinity Watch. Initially written by Starlin and drawn by Angel Medina, it ran 42 issues (Feb. 1992 - Aug. 1995). Its plots tied directly into the limited series Infinity War (June-Nov. 1992) and Infinity Crusade (June-Dec. 1993).
Warlock starred in several limited series, including Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection #1-4 (March–June 1993); The Warlock Chronicles #1-8 (July 1993 - Feb. 1994); and Warlock vol. 3, #1-4 (Nov. 1998 - Feb. 1999), by writer-penciler Tom Lyle.[11] The character was also featured in the intercompany crossovers between Marvel Comics and the Malibu Comics "Ultraverse" in the one-shot Rune / Silver Surfer (April 1995 in indicia, June 1995 on cover); Rune vol. 2, #1-7 (Sept. 1995 - April 1996); and the two-issue Ultraverse Unlimited (June & Sept. 1996).
Following the unrelated, 1999-2000 series Warlock vol. 4, featuring the alien cybernetic character Warlock of the team the New Mutants,[12] Adam Warlock co-starred with Thanos in the limited series The Infinity Abyss #1-6 (Aug.-Oct. 2002; published biweekly); Marvel Universe: The End #1-6 (May-Aug. 2003; first four issues biweekly); and Thanos #1-6 (Dec. 2003 - April 2004; two issues biweekly). A version of the character starred in the four-issue limited series Warlock vol. 5 (Nov. 2004 - Feb. 2005), by writer Greg Pak and artist Charles Adlard. After appearances in Annihilation Conquest: Quasar #1-4 (Sept.-Dec. 2007) and Annihilation Conquest # 1-6 (Nov. 2007 - April 2008), he was a key character in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, #1-25 (July 2008 - April 2010), The Thanos Imperative #1 (June 2010) and the Ignition one-shot (May 2010)
Artist Alan Weiss recalled in a 2006 interview there was a "lost" Adam Warlock story, which if completed would have been reminiscent of the Jonathan Swift novel Gulliver's Travels.[13] Portions of it were printed in the second volume of Marvel Masterworks: Warlock. The remainder of the artwork was lost in a New York City taxicab in 1976.[14]
Him is an arificial human created by scientists working in the Enclave.[15] He rebels against them[16] and battles Thor[17] before fleeing to space.
Him's cocoon is recovered by the High Evolutionary, who declares that he will be known to humans as "Warlock" and enlists his aid in ridding Counter-Earth of the evil Man Beast.[18] The High Evolutionary gives Warlock a green soul gem (also referred to as "soul jewel") to help him in this fight. When he arrives on counter-Earth,[19] he has amnesia and only recalls that he is known as "Warlock". Thinking that this is his surname, one of four youths who find him and become his companions, rechristens him "Adam". After the Man Beast's defeat, Warlock leaves Counter-Earth.[20]
Warlock opposes the Universal Church of Truth, an intergalactic religious empire presided over by the Magus.[21] With the help of Pip the Troll,[22] the assassin Gamora,[23] and Gamora's employer, Thanos, Warlock discovers the Magus is himself from the future, driven insane by the use of his Soul Gem and the In-Betweener.[24] Warlock chooses to alter his timeline by visiting himself a few months into the future and stealing his own soul, preventing the Magus and the Universal Church of Truth from ever existing.[25]
While fighting off the Stranger's attempt to steal the Soul Gem, Warlock discovers the existence of five other gems.[26] Thanos has gained possession of these gems and plans to use them to blow up Earth's sun. Warlock returns to Thanos' vessel to find Gamora dying and Pip's mind destroyed by Thanos. He steals their souls to end their suffering. Warlock enlists the aid of the Avengers, Captain Marvel, and Moondragon to battle Thanos. When Thanos mortally wounds Warlock and leaves him for dead, Warlock's soul is taken by his earlier self.[27] The cosmic entities Lord Chaos and Master Order intervene, causing the gem to release Warlock's soul. A newly empowered Warlock turns Thanos to stone and returns to the Soul Gem. Inside the gem, Warlock finds a peaceful world where he lives in harmony with Pip, Gamora, and others whose souls the gem had stolen.[28]
When Thanos once again gains the gems[29] and steals the soul of the Silver Surfer,[30] Surfer convinces Warlock, Pip, and Gamora to leave Soul World and help defeat Thanos.[31][32] Thanos has assembled the six gems into the Infinity Gauntlet, and Warlock leads a group of Earth's superheroes against him.[33] Warlock obtains the Gauntlet,[34] but is deemed unworthy of it by the Living Tribunal.[35] He keeps the soul gem for himself and gives one gem each to Pip, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Moondragon, and a reformed Thanos — the group being called the Infinity Watch.[36][37]
During Warlock's temporary possession of the Gauntlet, he purges all good and evil from his being, leaving him entirely a creature of logic. The "moral" aspects of his persona in turn take on physical forms — the evil half becomes a new incarnation of the Magus, while the good half becomes the self-styled Goddess. Warlock, aided by an army of superheroes, eventually defeats each in turn, and absorbs them into the Soul Gem.[38][39]
The Watch then battles to protect the soul gem from Count Abyss, a powerful entity who has no soul of his own. After finally defeating him, the infinity gems are stolen by Rune, an extradimensional vampire.[40] The Infinity Watch disbands [41] and Warlock goes to track down Rune.[42] Following the discovery of a seventh gem, Warlock and the gems are returned to the main Marvel Universe.[43]
Warlock and a multitude of superheroes also team with Thanos to defeat several rogue clones of the Eternal.[44] Warlock also assists in Thanos' attempt at redeeming himself.[45]
Warlock is incapacitated by the backlash of souls killed during the "Annihilation" war, and re-enters hibernation in a cocoon.[46] The superheroines Quasar and Moondragon awaken Warlock hoping he will help the Kree fight off the Phalanx.[47] Once the Phalanx is defeated,[48] Warlock agrees to join the hero Star Lord in a new version of the Guardians of the Galaxy.[49]
After the conclusion of War of Kings causes a rip in spacetime that threatens all existence, Warlock "stitches" it shut with the stable, unused timeline of the Magus. Because of the stitching, Warlock had occasionally been the Magus during the past several months. Weak from repairing the rip, Magus fakes his death and escapes the Guardians of the Galaxy with several hostages.[50]
Magus allies himself with Lord Mar Vell and the Revengers, alternate versions of Captain Marvel and the Avengers who live in the universe on the other side of the tear in space.[51][52] After Magus succeeds in bringing his allies into the Marvel Universe, Lord Marvel kills him for failing to kill the avatar of death first.[53]
As Him, the character possessed superhuman strength; speed; durability; stamina; agility and the ability to manipulate cosmic energy for energy projection, flight and recuperation (e.g. creating a cocoon for self-preservation and regeneration). However, Him sacrificed the majority of these powers by prematurely emerging from his cocoon in order to defend the High Evolutionary from an assault by the Man-Beast. (Which powers he regained in his incarnation as the Magus, thanks to his long incubation in the cocoon while in the Inbetweener's realm.) In compensation, the High Evolutionary gave Him the Soul Gem. The Gem possesses a consciousness of its own and demonstrates a vampiric hunger for the life energies of organic beings. It also contains an idyllic pocket universe that hosts all the souls the Gem has ever taken. The latest version of Warlock uses "Quantum magic" and can manipulate energy; create force fields; teleport; travel faster than light and detect wormholes and other irregularities in space.
He also has the power to de-evolve the followers of Man-Beast back into the animals form which they evolved,[54] as well as revert the Brute back into counter-Reed Richards.[55] This power comes from his soul gem.[56]
In Marvel Universe: The End, Warlock eventually convinces Thanos to destroy and recreate the universe to fix a fundamental flaw.[57]
Adam Warlock has appeared as part of Marvel's OverPower collectible card game, Upper Deck's Marvel Vs. collectible card game and HeroClix collectible miniatures game, a Target exclusive Marvel Legends action figure, and a Marvel Universe 3 3/4" figure.
The stories have been collected as part of the Marvel Masterworks series:
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