Ai Apaec (comics)

Ai Apaec is the Marvel Comics version of the chief deity of Mochica culture, and a supervillain in the Marvel Universe.

Publication history

Ai Apaec first appeared in the first issue of the 2011 Osborn limited series, and was created by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Jamie McKelvie.

Ai Apaec began appearing as a regular character in the Dark Avengers series, beginning with Dark Avengers #175.

Fictional character biography

Ai Apaec is a chimeric being that has the head, torso, and arms of a human, the lower half being a spider's body, snakes for hair, and long sharp fangs. He was worshipped by the Moche people of South America (Peru). He was eventually captured by government officials and held in a secret government base somewhere underwater.^[1] Ai Apaec ends up meeting Norman Osborn when he ends up transferred to the secret base from the Raft. He joins Osborn, Dr. June Covington, Kingmaker III, and Carny Rives into staging a break-out.^[2] The inmates secure an escape pod to get to the surface. Afterwards, Ai Apaec returns to the jungle.^[3]

During the Spider-Island storyline, Shang-Chi and Iron Fist discover that Ai Apaec was controlling Bride of Nine Spiders of the Immortal Weapons to capture the other members.^[4] As Iron Fist fights Ai Apaec, Shang-Chi manages to free the other members where Shang-Chi mutates into a humanoid spider. Upon Iron Fist using his Chi Force to cure Shang-Chi, Iron Fist gets the other Immortal Weapons members to safety while Shang-Chi collapses the hideout on top of Ai Apaec. Afterwards, the Avengers arrested Ai Apaec.^[5]

When Norman Osborn reclaimed ownership of H.A.M.M.E.R., he manages to locate Ai Apaec and recruit him to his latest incarnation of the Dark Avengers alongside Barney Barton, Gorgon, June Covington, Skaar, and Superia. To make Ai Apaec his latest Spider-Man, Norman Osborn gives Ai Apaec a genetic-modifying drug that alters his appearance to resemble a six-armed version of the black suit Spider-Man.^[6] Ai Apaec and the other members of the Dark Avengers are defeated by both Avengers teams when it turns out that his teammate Skaar was the Avengers' double-agent. Ai Apaec's drug wore off and Captain America knocked him unconscious.^[7]

When the Thunderbolts were missing in time, Ai Apaec was present when the Dark Avengers were recruited by Luke Cage to be a replacement team. Ai Apaec and the other Dark Avengers members were implanted with nanites in order to prevent them from going rogue, and placed under the leadership of Luke Cage.^[8]

Ai Apaec and the rest of the Dark Avengers team are thrown into an alternate world with John Walker.^[9] Ai Apaec was shown to have been shrunken down when he is a prisoner in Iron Man's lab.^[10] When Hank Pym mentions having regrown U.S. Agent's limbs and shrunk Ai Apaec, Iron Man lashes out at him and realizes that Henry Pym's control implant had been reworked. The Dark Avengers make their way through Hell's Kitchen to get to Strangetown. They come across a building covered with webs as Ai Apaec claims that this world's Spider-Man had gone under a profound change to have created a long-lasting web. During the fight between the Dark Avengers and Spider-Man's gang, Ai Apaec tells Barney to load him onto an arrow and fire it at Spider-Man. Spider-Man's Spider-Senses go off and he catches the arrow as Ai Apaec and Spider-Man speak in a different language while the other Dark Avengers have been subdued.^[11] With help from Ai Apaec, June Covington tells them that they had poisoned Hawkeye on his left side and that the venom must be sucked out. Later on, the Dark Avengers and Spider-Man's gang arrive in Strangetown where they are attacked by the All-Seeing Eye and the Soulsnake. Ai Apaec tells Spider-Man to cast some webbing and give Barney Barton a sword which he uses to destroy the Soulsnake while Spider-Man lands a hard kick to the All-Seeing Eye.^[12] Ai Apaec is climbing on Doctor Strange's leg, telepathically calling the Dark Avengers to summon an object contained by Spider-Man's webs which would grant him the perfect distraction. Enraged at the death of Clea, Doctor Strange readies an even more powerful spell. Before he can do the spell, Ai Apaec hits him with all the poison he had killing Doctor Strange and ending his slave spell on Moonstone and Skaar.^[13] Ai Apaec and the Dark Avengers later return to their reality. When Ai Apaec reminds the Dark Avengers that he must be restored to his proper size, June Covington steps on him.^[14]

Powers and abilities

Ai Apaec has superhuman strength where it was stated that he was strong enough to rip off a man's head. His long sharp teeth contains a powerful poison and he has enhanced senses. His spider legs can enable him to cling to solid walls and surfaces. Like the diving bell spider, Ai Apaec can wrap himself in a bell-shaped web held by the hair on his legs and abdomen and collect oxygen from the water to exchange the carbon dioxide with the oxygen.

Other versions

Earth-1771

During the Spider-Verse storyline, the Earth-1771 version of Ai Apaec is attacked by Karn. After a short battle, Karn drains away Apaec's essence reducing him to dust.^[15]

References

External links

• Ai Apaec at Marvel Wiki
• Ai Apaec at Comic Vine